Labour market · 31/01/2014

Proposed Revocation of Permanent Variances Granted for Chimney Construction

In this notice, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA" or the "Agency") is proposing to revoke permanent variances that it granted between 1973 and 2010 to 24 companies engaged in chimney construction (hereafter, "previous variances"). The previous variances provided the companies with an alternative means of complying with provisions of OSHA standards regulating boatswains' chairs, personnel platforms, and hoist towers. On October 2, 2013, OSHA published a Federal Register notice (78 FR 60900) in which it updated the previous variances with a single, permanent variance ("the uniform variance"). The 2013 Federal Register notice granted the uniform variance to a number of the companies that held previous variances. OSHA determined that, compared to the previous variances, the uniform variance: (1) provides more consistency across the conditions specified by the variance, thereby expediting OSHA's enforcement of the conditions; (2) allows employers to use updated technology and industry practices; and (3) increases worker safety. Therefore, OSHA is proposing to revoke the previous variances and to invite employers not covered by the uniform variance to submit appli