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Washington — The Mine Safety and Health Administration’s planned Request for Information on respirable crystalline silica, scheduled for publication in July, will focus on personal protective equipment – mainly helmets with respirators – according to agency chief David Zatezalo.

Washington — The publication of a proposed rule intended to add flexibility to hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers is expected soon, on the heels of a recent delay, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration head Raymond Martinez said during a June 19 hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Washington — The Department of Labor has named the 15 members of its Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health and scheduled a meeting for July 17-18 in the nation’s capital.

Washington — President Donald Trump has announced his intention to nominate Katherine Lemos as a member of the Chemical Safety Board.

Washington — The House on June 19 passed a “minibus” appropriations bill that includes fiscal year 2020 funding for OSHA, NIOSH, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Washington — Focusing on the safety and health of legislative branch workers is among the goals listed in the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights’ 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, released June 5.

Arlington, VA — The Mine Safety and Health Administration has revamped its Mine Data Retrieval System in an effort to add functionality and more intuitive navigation to the online tool.

Washington — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement recently unveiled a free text message alert system that delivers the agency’s safety alerts and bulletins to offshore oil and gas workers on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Washington — Fully operational Positive Train Control technology “would have intervened” to stop a fatal Amtrak passenger train derailment in which crew members were inadequately trained and tested on various aspects of a new route, the National Transportation Safety Board has concluded after its investigation into the December 2017 incident in DuPont, WA.

Washington — Chemical Safety Board vacancies, expiring member terms and unclear responsibilities are among the challenges “that, if not addressed, may impede [CSB’s] ability to efficiently and effectively achieve its mission or meet its goals,” the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General states in a new report, issued May 20.