Oral

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule on occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium in February 2006. This panel will discuss the process and content of that rulemaking, including: • litigation that forced OSHA to issue the standard, • the formal rulemaking process and recent rulemaking history, • information not submitted by industry during rulemaking, • how the OSHA standard addressed issues in the final rule, and • litigation since the publication of the final rule. Panel member discussion will focus on the deficiencies with final rule, including the Permissible Exposure Limit, air and medical monitoring requirements and employee notification, the exclusion of portland cement from the scope of the final rule, and worker training requirements. Panel Members: Representatives from construction unions, the AFL-CIO, an industrial union, academia, and public advocacy group have agreed to participate in this panel.

Session Objectives: Describe why OSHA completed rulemaking on hexavalent chromium Identify what information was submitted to OSHA during rulemaking Identify what science was withheld from OSHA during rulemaking Recognize how the OSHA final rule does and does not address health hazards posed by hexavalent chromium Describe how challenges to the final rule may improve occupational health outcomes for affected workers

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing