The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed Confined Spaces in Construction rule is unduly complicated and fails to recognize successful safety practices, the American Society of Safety Engineers claims.
“This rule, if adopted without significant changes, provides less worker protection than what is required throughout the construction industry by the Z117.1-2003 standard,” says ASSE President Michael W. Thompson. “It also fails to address important confined space topics including harmonization of confined space classifications, hazard assessment, assignment of responsibilities, and the continued allowance of a chest harness as part of a vertical confined space rescue effort.”
Thompson says that OSHA used outdated standards from 1977 and 1989, instead of the 1995 and 2003 editions published by the ANSI Z117 Accredited Standards Committee for Confined Space Entry. For more information, visit www.asse.org.
OKLAHOMA
The state Department of Environmental Quality is changing its procedures for obtaining or renewing individual licenses and certifications for onsite installers and soil profilers. In response to the state’s new immigration law and Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, U.S. citizens older than 14 must provide a photo I.D. and birth certificate to the DEQ to apply for or renew licenses and certifications. Non-U.S. citizens must provide both and a signed and notarized Affidavit Regarding Citizenship. Additionally, DEQ is required to enter all non-U.S. citizens into the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program to verify eligibility for agency-issued licenses and certifications.
NEW MEXICO
The Training and Certification Program required by the Liquid Waste Disposal and Treatment Regulations becomes operational on July 1. Certification is required no later than July 1, 2009. Those who must complete the training are homeowners installing their own onsite systems, installers with valid Construction Industries Division licenses or professional engineers conducting property transfer inspections, and Installer Specialists, a proposed, voluntary certification level for qualified installers. Installer Specialists would be pre-authorized to inspect the systems they install or modify.
The program also requires manufacturers of approved advanced treatment systems to provide training and certification for installers of their systems once per year. A training schedule is at www.nmenv.state.nm.us/fod/ LiquidWaste/training.schedule.html.
