OMB begins review of OSHA permissible exposure limit proposal

Washington – The Office of Management and Budget has begun its review of an OSHA proposal to address outdated permissible exposure limits.

The rulemaking is part of OSHA’s review of the agency’s chemical standards and currently is in the prerule stage. The agency is developing a Request for Information to seek stakeholder input on the most effective way to address occupational exposure to chemicals.

Many stakeholders – including safety professionals, industry and various organizations – agree that the current PELs are out of date. However, updating PELs to reflect the latest scientific data has been a major challenge for OSHA, as courts have barred the agency from unilaterally updating all PELs and adding additional PELs for other chemicals in a single rulemaking.

OMB received the proposal April 15. The review is limited to 90 days but can be extended in certain circumstances.