Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Connecticut State Standards; Notice of Approval

1. Background

Part 1953 of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, prescribes procedures under Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (hereinafter called the Act) by which the Regional Administrator for Occupational Safety and Health (hereinafter called Regional Administrator) under a delegation of authority from the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (hereinafter called the Assistant Secretary), (29 CFR 1953.4), will review and approve standards promulgated pursuant to a State Plan, which has been approved in accordance with Section 18(c) of the Act and 29 CFR part 1902. On November 3, 1978, notice was published in the Federal Register (43 FR 51390) of the approval of the Connecticut Public Sector State Plan and the adoption of subpart E to part 1956 containing the decision.

The Connecticut Public Sector only State Plan provides for the adoption of Federal standards as State standards after:

a. Publishing an intent to amend the State Plan by adopting the standard(s) in the Connecticut Law Journal.

b. Approval by the Commissioner of Labor and the Attorney General of the State of Connecticut.

c. Approval by the Legislative Regulation Review Committee, State of Connecticut. d. Filing in the Office of the Secretary of State, State of Connecticut. e. Publishing a notice that the State Plan is amended by adopting the standard(s) in the Connecticut Law Journal.

The Connecticut Public Sector State Plan provides for the adoption of State standards which are at least as effective as comparable Federal standards promulgated under Section 6, of the Act. By letter dated February 14, 1994, from Commissioner Ronald F. Petronella, Connecticut Department of Labor, to John B. Miles, Jr., Regional Administrator, and incorporated as part of the plan, the State submitted updated State standards identical to 29 CFR parts 1910 and 1926 and subsequent amendments thereto, as described below:

(1) Addition to 29 CFR part 1910, Permit-Required Confined Spaces for General Industry; Final Rule (58 FR 4549, dated 1/14/93). (2) Correction to 29 CFR part 1910, Permit-Required Confined Spaces; Corrections to Rule (58 FR 34845, dated 6/29/93).

(3) Addition to 29 CFR part 1926, Lead Exposure in Construction; Interim Final Rule (58 FR 26627, dated 5/4/93).

These standards became effective on December 22, 1993, and January 27, 1994, pursuant to section 31-372 of State Law.

2. Decision

Having reviewed the State submission in comparison with the Federal standards, it has been determined that the State Standards are identical to the Federal standards and accordingly are approved.

3. Location of Supplement for Inspection and Copying

A copy of the standards supplement, along with the approved plan, may be inspected and copied during normal business hours at the following locations: Office of the Regional Administrator, 133 Portland Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114; Office of the Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Labor, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, Connecticut 06109, and the OSHA Office of State Programs, room N-3476, Third Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

4. Public Participation

Under 29 CFR 1953.2(c), the Assistant Secretary may prescribe alternative procedures to expedite the review process or for other good cause which may be consistent with applicable laws. The Assistant Secretary finds that good cause exists for not publishing the supplement to the Connecticut Public Sector Plan as a proposed change and making the Regional Administrator's approval effective upon publication for the following reason:

1. The standards were adopted in accordance with the procedural requirements of State law which included public comment, and further public participation would be repetitious.

This decision is effective April 1, 1994.

Authority: Sec. 18, Pub. L. 91-596, 84 Stat. 1608 (29 U.S.C. 667).

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 18th day of March 1994.

John B. Miles, Jr.,
Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 94-7838 Filed 3-31-94; 8:45 am]