OSHA lead standard: a victory ... of sorts.OSHA OSHA n. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a branch of the US Department of Labor responsible for establishing and enforcing safety and health standards in the workplace. Lead Standard: A Victory...of Sorts On June 28, 1989, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. agency established (1970) in the Dept. of Labor (see Labor, United States Department of) to develop and enforce regulations for the safety and health of workers in businesses that are engaged in interstate (OSHA) determined that while a 50 [Mu] g/[m.sup.3] engineering control level for airborne lead was technologically feasible in the nonferrous non·fer·rous adj. 1. Not composed of or containing iron. 2. Of or relating to metals other than iron. nonferrous Adjective 1. foundry industry, it would be so expensive that a majority of small nonferrous foundries would be forced out of business. As a result, a 50 [Mu] g/[m.sup.3] engineering control level for airborne lead overall was infeasible for brass/bronze foundries. Having failed the economic feasibility test An operation plan review criteria to determine whether or not a plan is within the capacity of the resources that can be made available. See also logistic implications test. , OSHA is asking the Court of Appeals, D.C. circuit, to allow the agency to determine what level of engineering controls could be implemented without such dire economic effects. OSHA's "Statement of Reasons" was published in the July 11 issue of the Federal Register (FR, vol 54, No. 131, pp 29142-29275). It included feasibility statements on the nine remand To send back. A higher court may remand a case to a lower court so that the lower court will take a certain action ordered by the higher court. A prisoner who is remanded into custody is sent back to prison subsequent to a Preliminary Hearing before a tribunal or magistrate industries subject to an Aug 15, 1980, court stay on enforcement of the engineering control portions of the lead standard (1910.1025). For eight of the nine remand industries, OSHA found that a 50 [micro]g/[m.sup.3] standard was both technologically and economically feasible. Proposed phase-in times range from 2 1/2-5 years. The "Statement" also contains a request that the Court return the record to OSHA so the agency can determine (no time frame specified) what level is feasible in nonferrous foundries. The Court has not ruled on the OSHA statement or its motion to return the record on nonferrous foundries. It is anticipated that by late summer the Court will entertain comments from industry and organized labor Organized Labor An association of workers united as a single, representative entity for the purpose of improving the workers' economic status and working conditions through collective bargaining with employers. Also known as "unions". . Until there is a final judgement by the Court, the current engineering control level of 200 [micro]g/[m.sup.3] is still in effect for the nine remand industries. While OSHA was persuaded by the comments submitted by brass/bronze foundries, it was not persuaded by those submitted by the brass/bronze ingot ingot Mass of metal cast into a size and shape such as a bar, plate, or sheet convenient to store, transport, and work into a semifinished or finished product. The term also refers to a mold in which metal is so cast. producers and found that a 50 [micro]g/[m.sup.3] was technologically and economically feasible. |
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