Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1453353
30 PalletCentral • January-February 2022 palletcentral.com Beyond COVID-19, OSHA issued its Fall 2021 Regulatory Agenda on December 10, 2021. e Regulatory Agenda lists the regulations that each federal agency plans to move forward in the next 12 months. OSHA has an ambitious rulemaking agenda, with 28 items listed in the "pre rule," "proposed rule," or "final rule" stage, along with two other items listed as "long-term actions" (meaning that the agency is working on building the case for a regulation, but no specific action is anticipated in the next 12 months). While many of these rules do not directly affect the pallet manufacturing, warehousing and logistics industries, some may have significant future impact: • OSHA anticipates issuing a final rule clarifying requirements for stair rails under its general industry Walking Working Surfaces standard (last modified in 2017). OSHA published a proposed rule in 2021 and anticipates issuing a final rule by October 2022. • Update to Hazard Communication standard, a proposed rule was published in February 2021, to adopt the 7th Revision to the Global Harmonization Standard as part of OSHA's HazCom rule. e comment period is closed but there is no date for a final rule. • Lock out/Tag out update, to allow for laser/ computerized deenergizing of equipment; a proposed rule is now scheduled for September 2022. • Powered Industrial Trucks Design Standard, OSHA plans to issue a proposed rule (already overdue). e biggest current non-COVID initiative involves the reopening of OSHA's electronic recordkeeping rule (technically "Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses"). e Biden administration is seeking to reinstate the original 2016 "Obama" rule on electronic reporting of injury and illness information. e proposed rule was sent over to the Office of