U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a final rule that revises 14 provisions in the recordkeeping, general industry, maritime and construction standards that may be confusing, outdated or unnecessary. The revisions are expected to increase understanding and compliance with the provisions, improve employee safety and health and save employers an estimated $6.1 million per year.
OSHA proposed the changes in October 2016. This is the fourth final rule under OSHA’s Standards Improvement Project, which began in 1995 in response to a Presidential memorandum to improve government regulations. Other revisions were issued in 1998, 2005 and 2011.