Aaron Trippler called it: OSHA is extending the public comment period for for its proposed silica standard. The Government Affairs Director for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) had said that even before the government shutdown shortened the comment period, some stakeholders felt that 90 days was too short a time period, given the complexity of the proposal.

It’s been such a long time since OSHA issued a major standards proposal covering millions of workers, such as its recent silica dust proposed rule, it’s fair to ask: Are the standards floodgates opening? (I’m not counting hazcom revised/GHS, which was more or less forced on the U.S. and OSHA by globalization.)

At AIHce 2013, AIHA Director of Government Affair Aaron Trippler gave an informal assessment of the political side of occupational safety and health, circa 2014. The reason nothing is getting done in DC is both parties have lost control of their members, said Trippler.

Monday afternoon AIHA Director of Government Affair Aaron Trippler gave an informal assessment of the political side of occupational safety and health, circa 2013. The reason nothing is getting done in DC is both parties have lost control of their members, said Trippler.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) says it supports a bill that would direct OSHA to to issue an interim and final standard regarding worker exposure to combustible dust – with some reservations.

Combustible dust, mine safety and silica are some of the subject of bills that are currently making their way through – or are stuck in – the legislative and regulatory pipelines. Aaron Trippler, Government Affairs Director for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), provides a rundown in his “Happenings on the Hill:”