DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

29 CFR Parts 1910, 1915, and 1926

[Docket No. H-049b]

RIN 1218-AA05

Respirator Cartridge and Canister Change-Out Schedules; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Final rule; notice of a public meeting.

SUMMARY: This document announces a public meeting of an inter-agency work group sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to discuss available information on respirator cartridge and canister change-out schedules. Employers are required to develop or adopt such schedules by the revised Respiratory Protection standard published in the Federal Register on January 8, 1998, and the Maritime and Construction industry respiratory protection standards, which now cross-reference the General Industry respiratory protection standard. In addition to OSHA, representatives of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are participating in the work group and will attend the public meeting. Public participation is encouraged.

DATES: The work group public meeting will be held on August 6, 1998. The public meeting will begin at 9:00 A.M. and end about 5:00 P.M., with a one-hour lunch period at about noon.

ADDRESSES: The work group public meeting will be held in the Department of Labor Auditorium at the Frances Perkins Building, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Friedman, Director, OSHA Office of Public Affairs, Room N-3647, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone (202) 219- 8148.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 8, 1998, OSHA published a revised Respiratory Protection standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, (63 FR 1152). All provisions of the new standard take effect on or before October 5, l998. Paragraph (d)(3)(iii) of the standard specifies that, under certain circumstances, employers must implement a change-out schedule, based on objective data, for respirator canisters and cartridges used to reduce exposures to gases and vapors. Change schedules establish the time periods for replacing cartridges and canisters before a toxic substance might break through and overexpose an employee. OSHA is sponsoring an inter-agency work group to discuss available relevant data for compliance with 29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(iii).

The first meeting of the work group will be held on August 6, 1998. It will be open to the public. Representatives of NIOSH and EPA who are experienced in developing change-out schedules and analyzing data sources on contaminant breakthrough will attend the work group meeting.

Agenda

The agenda for the work group public meeting is as follows:

(1) Welcome and introduction of the inter-agency work group.

(2) Public submissions of relevant information and comment to OSHA.

(3) Question and answer session.

(4) Closing remarks.

Public Participation

The meeting will be open to the public. Because of the limited amount of seating available, space will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. All individuals who plan to attend should contact Theresa Berry by July 30, 1998, at the OSHA Office of Public Affairs, Room N-3647, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone (202) 219-8148. Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend should contact Theresa Berry no later than July 30, 1998 to obtain appropriate accommodations.

Those attendees who plan to make a presentation are requested to submit a copy of their presentation to Theresa Berry by July 30, 1998. OSHA will make copies of submissions available at the public meeting and also in a docket available to the public (Docket # H-049b).

This document was prepared under the direction of Charles N. Jeffress, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., 20210.

Signed at Washington, D.C. this 15th day of July, 1998.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 98-19347 Filed 7-20-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-P