Summary of Comments and Agency Decisions Title: Confined Spaces OAR 437-002-0146, in General Industry and Construction Administrative Order Number: 6-2012 Adopted: September 28, 2012 Effective: April 1, 2013 History: In late November of 2007, federal OSHA published a proposed standard for confined spaces in the construction industry. After evaluating the proposed standard and discussing it with various stakeholders, Oregon OSHA convened a group of stakeholders, many of whom were from or represented the construction industry, in June of 2008 to discuss whether Oregon should adopt our own standard in lieu of the federal standard. The group consensus was to adopt our own standard. In the months that followed, the group carefully evaluated the proposed federal standard, the existing Oregon OSHA confined space standard, as well as the standard that was adopted by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. Once the issues of the advantages and limitations of these standards were evaluated, Oregon OSHA began drafting our own standard to address these limitations and advantages. After completing the draft, we reconvened the stakeholder group to discuss the draft, and spent the following months discussing and modifying it to address identified issues, ensure employee safety, and improve readability. During this time, the Oregon OSHA Administrator reiterated his position that any new rules encompass both the construction industry as well as general industry. After further modification of the draft, another group of stakeholders covered by the general industry rules was convened to evaluate and address the draft rule. The consensus of this second stakeholder group was to move forward with the draft, with some modifications. These modifications were shared both stakeholder groups, and the decision was made to move forward. On September 1, 2011, Oregon OSHA the proposal for these changes. During the comment period, an internal review of the proposed rule noted several discrepancies between the proposed standard and the 1910.146 standard. After the comment period closed, a joint meeting was held with both stakeholder groups to discuss the discrepancies as well as the comments received during the comment period. On 21, 2012, Oregon OSHA re-proposed to adopt the revised confined space standard. Summary and explanation: (1) Purpose and application. This rule applies to all activities in confined spaces, in both the construction industry as well as general industry, with certain exceptions.
Summary of Comments and Agency Decisions Title: Confined Spaces OAR 437-002-0146, in General Industry and Construction Administrative Order Number: 6-2012 Adopted: September 28, 2012 Effective: April 1, 2013 History: In late November of 2007, federal OSHA published a proposed standard for confined spaces in the construction industry. After evaluating the proposed standard and discussing it with various stakeholders, Oregon OSHA convened a group of stakeholders, many of whom were from or represented the construction industry, in June of 2008 to discuss whether Oregon should adopt our own standard in lieu of the federal standard. The group consensus was to adopt our own standard. In the months that followed, the group carefully evaluated the proposed federal standard, the existing Oregon OSHA confined space standard, as well as the standard that was adopted by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. Once the issues of the advantages and limitations of these standards were evaluated, Oregon OSHA began drafting our own standard to address these limitations and advantages. After completing the draft, we reconvened the stakeholder group to discuss the draft, and spent the following months discussing and modifying it to address identified issues, ensure employee safety, and improve readability. During this time, the Oregon OSHA Administrator reiterated his position that any new rules encompass both the construction industry as well as general industry. After further modification of the draft, another group of stakeholders covered by the general industry rules was convened to evaluate and address the draft rule. The consensus of this second stakeholder group was to move forward with the draft, with some modifications. These modifications were shared both stakeholder groups, and the decision was made to move forward. On September 1, 2011, Oregon OSHA the proposal for these changes. During the comment period, an internal review of the proposed rule noted several discrepancies between the proposed standard and the 1910.146 standard. After the comment period closed, a joint meeting was held with both stakeholder groups to discuss the discrepancies as well as the comments received during the comment period. On 21, 2012, Oregon OSHA re-proposed to adopt the revised confined space standard. Summary and explanation: (1) Purpose and application. This rule applies to all activities in confined spaces, in both the construction industry as well as general industry, with certain exceptions.