Government

OSHA Postpones Enforcement Date for Confined-Space Rule

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration will delay fully enforcing its new rule for construction in confined spaces to give firms more time to comply with its training requirements.

The rule takes effect on Aug. 3, but OSHA will postpone full enforcement to Oct. 2. It said it is responding to requests for more time to train workers and other actions.

The Associated Builders and Contractors was among those seeking the added time. Chris Williams, ABC safety director, said, “The extension will provide valuable time ... to distribute our training resources, along with those provided by OSHA, to educate our member companies ahead of the enforcement deadline.”

During the 60 days, OSHA won’t issue citations to companies making good-faith compliance efforts, such as scheduling training sessions. Firms still must meet the old or new rule’s training requirements or face citations.

The final rule, issued on May 4, gives construction workers protections like those in manufacturing and other industries

As ENR's former Washington Bureau Chief, Tom Ichniowski wrote about the federal government since the George H.W. Bush administration, and covered at least five major highway bills. A recognized expert on government policy on infrastructure and regulation, Tom is also a Baltimore native and Orioles fan who grew up rooting for Brooks and Frank Robinson. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia’s graduate school of journalism, where he once used “unrelentless” in a headline.

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