The new week brings with it renewed concerns over the pace of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The outbreak continues to accelerate at present, so it’s more important than ever for us to make sure that our workplaces follow all applicable guidelines to keep employees as safe as possible under the present circumstances.  The week also brought with it several actions of note on the regulatory front; here’s all the latest:

COVID-19 Specific Actions:

PHMSA

On Friday the 10^th, the agency published a set of extensions for several of the regulatory relief (“relaxation of enforcement”) actions associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The three extension actions all go to October 31^st, 2020, and are as follows:

1. Extends MOT relief for carriers transporting sanitizing products as part of their own operations
2. Extends the relief for certain package test re-certifications (i.e. “UN testing”)
3. Extends relief from certain vehicle and tank inspection requirements in the State of Alaska

See all three actions at these links:

Hand Sanitizer Relief

Portable Tank Relief

Packaging Relief

Non-COVID actions:

PHMSA

The agency published its latest raft of special permit applications.  As is often the case, the new actions mainly concern batteries, cylinders, and unique transport requests.  See the full list of the actions at the links here:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-08/pdf/2020-14618.pdf

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-08/pdf/2020-14619.pdf

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-07-08/pdf/2020-14620.pdf

EPA

The agency released a fairly major revision to its rules referencing the ignitability standard for RECRA hazardous waste.  The changes will among other things:

• Revise the test provisions for determining flashpoint
• Eliminate the requirements for the use of now-obsolete mercury thermometers
• Update exclusions for aqueous alcohol solutions
• Codify the processes for testing multi-phase wastes
• Provide a variety of minor technical corrections

See the full rule here.

OSHA

The agency published a proposal for a renewed ICR dealing with the hydrostatic testing provisions for fire extinguishers.  Such periodic pressure and integrity testing is an important part of keeping industrial extinguisher fleets safe and ready for use.  See the renewal proposal here.

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