DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

NACOSH HazCom Workgroup Meeting

Notice is hereby given that a workgroup of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), established under section 7(a) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 656) to advise the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on matters relating to the administration of the Act, will meet on December 11 and 12, 1995, in N3437 A-D of the Department of Labor Building located at 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC. The meeting, which is open to the public, will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on December 11 and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 12.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has asked NACOSH to form a workgroup to identify ways to improve chemical hazard communication and the right to know in the workplace. OSHA has asked the Committee to provide OSHA with recommendations in approximately six months to simplify material safety data sheets, reduce the amount of required paperwork, improve the effectiveness of worker training, and revise enforcement policies so that they focus on the most serious hazards.

Beginning at 1:00 p.m. on December 11 and continuing through December 12, members of the public who are impacted by OSHA's hazard communication standard are invited to address the workgroup. Presentations will be limited to 10 minutes with time allowed for questions from the workgroup members. Additional information and/or documentation may be submitted and will be entered into the record. A verbatim transcript will be made of the proceedings which will be available to the public in the OSHA Technical Data Center (TDC) located in Room N2625 of the Department of Labor Building (202-219-7500).

Those who wish to make presentations should notify, no later than December 1, Joanne Goodell, Directorate of Policy, OSHA, Room N-3641, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC, 20210, telephone (202) 219-8021, ext. 107, or FAX (202) 219-4383. Presenters must provide their name, the capacity in which they will appear, a brief outline of the content of the presentation, mail address, telephone and FAX numbers. Presenters' specific requests to appear on either the December 11 afternoon session or the December 12 session will be honored to the extent the schedule allows. If there is sufficient time, others who have not notified OSHA will be permitted to make presentations after all those on the schedule have been heard. In the event that the number of requests to make presentations exceeds the available time, those with the earliest documented requests will be honored.

Written data, views or comments for consideration by the workgroup may be submitted, preferably with 20 copies, to Joanne Goodell at the address provided above. Any such submissions received prior to the meeting will be provided to the members of the Committee and will be included in the record of the meeting. Individuals with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact Tom Hall (202-219-8615) by December 7.

Additional Meeting Schedule

On January 10-11, 1996, in Room N3437 A-D, the HazCom Workgroup will meet from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on January 10 and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on January 11. Presentations by specialists will be made on the following subjects: label comprehension, electronic access systems, training programs, and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) experience in developing a standard for Hazardous Industrial Chemicals--Material Safety Data Sheets.

On February 7-9, the HazCom Workgroup will meet in Room N3437 A-D to review all issues and finalize the concept for the report. The meeting will run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the second day.

On March 20, the HazCom Workgroup will meet from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room N3437 A-D to review the total report, make any necessary changes and obtain concurrences.

It is anticipated that the final product of this workgroup will be submitted to the full National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health in mid to late April.

For additional information contact: Joanne Goodell, Directorate of Policy, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Room N-3641, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20210, telephone (202) 219-8021.

Signed at Washington, DC this 8th day of November, 1995.

Joseph A. Dear,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 95-28170 Filed 11-14-95; 8:45 am]