Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1194984
26 PalletCentral • November-December 2019 palletcentral.com currently requires "medical removal" of workers who have BLL above 40 ug/dL. However, that information is 35 years old and recent health recommendations indicate that BLLs should be reduced to less than 10 ug/dL. An advance notice of proposed rulemaking on this issue is due in September 2020. OSHA also recently announced a new enforcement policy for crane operator certifications issued by Crane Institute Certification (CIC). OSHA requires crane operators to be certified by an entity accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, but it has determined that CIC no longer holds such accreditation. Although CIC-issued certifications are not compliant with OSHA's operator certification requirement, OSHA does not intend to cite employers for operating equipment that violates that requirement if their operators, in good faith, obtained CIC-issued certifications prior to December 2, 2019, with the belief the certifications met the standard's requirements. Until further notice, OSHA will not accept CIC certifications – including re-certifications – issued on or after December 2, 2019. This applies to both large construction cranes and also certain types of other hoisting equipment. On the enforcement front, OSHA is continuing to be driven by the tens of thousands of "severe injuries" being reported as a result of fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, eye loss and amputations. These "unprogrammed inspections" take priority (along with situations involving imminent danger and employee hazard complaints). The "programmed" inspections, such as SAFETY On the enforcement front, OSHA is continuing to be driven by the tens of thousands of "severe injuries" being reported as a result of fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, eye loss and amputations. iStockphoto.com/Traimak_Ivan