OSHA says confined space standard for construction coming

OSHA is again promising that a final rule is forthcoming on confined space in construction, and a top agency official said that the standard generally aligns with those for general industry.

If that comes to pass, that will be good news as it will provide clarity on an issue that needs it. But before anyone gets their expectations up, it is worth noting that OSHA has made similar predictions before that the standard was imminent, only to have the target date pass by in silence. In fact, the rule on confined space in construction has been more than a decade in the making.

The latest prediction came from Jordan Barab, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, who was speaking at the recent U.S. Small Business Labor Safety Roundtable in Washington, D.C. He also said that final agency action is pending on standards for Walking Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems (Slips, Trips, and Fall Prevention), Silica, and Electronic Recordkeeping. Barab said he expected the standard for confined space in construction to be finalized first.

Notable also was Barab’s characterization of a combustible dust standard as a long-term priority for the agency. This is another issue where OSHA has delayed far too long, and as a result piece-meals its guidance in the absence of coherent, comprehensive standards.