[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 163 (Thursday, August 22, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54389-54394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21449]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
29 CFR Part 1910
[Docket No. H-0054a]
RIN 1218-AB45
Occupational Exposure to Hexavalent Chromium (CrVI)
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: OSHA requests data, comments, and information on issues
relevant to occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium (CrVI),
including: Significant epidemiological, animal, and in vitro studies;
the relationship between occupational exposures to CrVI and the
development of adverse health effects; industry profiles of use,
current exposures, and population at risk; types and availability of
control methodologies; analytical methods; medical screening and
surveillance procedures; exposure assessment programs; employee
training programs; and use of personal protective equipment.
DATES: Comments must be submitted by the following dates:
Hard Copy: Your comments must be submitted (postmarked or sent) by
November 20, 2002.
Facsimile and electronic transmission: Your comments must be sent by
November 20, 2002. (Please see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION provided
below for additional information on submitting comments.)
ADDRESSES: Regular mail, express delivery, hand-delivery, and messenger
service: You must submit three copies of your comments and attachments
to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. H-0054a, Room N-2625, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC,
20210; telephone (202) 693-2350. OSHA Docket Office and Department of
Labor hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., EST.
Facsimile: If your comments, including any attachments, are 10
pages or fewer, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202)
693-1648. You must include the docket number of this notice, Docket No.
H-0054a, in your comments.
Electronic: You may submit comments but not attachments through the
Internet at http://ecomments.osha.gov. (See the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION provided below for additional information on submitting
comments.)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General information and press
inquiries--OSHA Office of Public Affairs, Room N-3647, U.S. Department
of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210
(Telephone: (202) 693-1999); Technical information--Jeff Snyder,
Directorate of Health Standards, Room N-3718, U.S. Department of Labor,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210 (Telephone (202)--
693-2292). For additional copies of this Federal Register notice,
contact OSHA, Office of Publications, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-
3101, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20210; telephone
(202) 693-1888. Electronic copies of this Federal Register notice, as
well as news releases and other relevant documents, are available at
OSHA's web page on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Submission of Comments on This Notice and Internet Access to
Comments and Submissions
You may submit comments in response to this notice by (1) hard
copy, or (2) FAX transmission (facsimile), or (3) electronically
through the OSHA Webpage. Please note that you cannot attach materials,
such as studies or journal articles, to electronic comments. If you
have additional materials, you must submit three copies of the
materials to the OSHA Docket Office at the address above. The
additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments by
name, date, subject and docket number so we can attach them to your
comments. Because of security-related problems there may be a
significant delay in the receipt of comments by regular mail. Contact
the
[[Page 54390]]
OSHA Docket Office at (202)-693-2350 for information about security
procedures concerning the delivery of materials by express delivery,
hand delivery and messenger service.
All comments and submissions will be available for inspection and
copying at the OSHA Docket Office at the above address. Comment and
submissions posted on OSHA's Web site are available at http://www.osha.gov. OSHA cautions you about submitting personal information
such as social security numbers and birth dates. Contact the OSHA
Docket Office at (202)-693-2350 for information about materials not
available through the OSHA Webpage and for assistance in using the
Webpage to locate docket submissions.
II. Background
Properties and Uses. Chromium exists in several oxidation states.
Its most important natural source is as the mineral chromite
(FeOCr2O3). Common forms of chromium compounds
are trivalent chromium (CrIII), and hexavalent chromium (CrVI). CrVI
can be produced when CrIII is heated in the presence of mineral bases
and oxygen. Such a change (from CrIII to CrVI) also occurs as a by-
product of welding or cutting operations on stainless steel. In
addition, a portion of CrIII used in refractory bricks can convert to
CrVI during normal furnace operations.
CrVI compounds are characterized by high melting points, very high
boiling points, varying solubilities, a wide array of colors, corrosion
resistance and resistance to acid. These properties make chromium ideal
for use in such widely diversified products as corrosion-resistant
materials, pigments, coatings, metal plating, and chemicals.
Health risks associated with occupational exposure to CrVI.
Epidemiologic studies of workers exposed to CrVI have consistently
shown a positive correlation between exposure to CrVI and excess lung
cancer. See, e.g., Machle and Gregorius (1948, Ex. 7-2); U.S. Public
Health Service/Gafafer (1953, Ex. 7-3); Baetjer (1950, Ex. 7-6); Hayes
et al (1979, Ex.7-15); Braver (1985, Ex. 7-17); Mancuso (1975, Ex. 18-
3; 1997 Exs. 23, 24); and Gibb et al (2000, Ex. 25). The International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (Ex. 18-1) and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Ex. 19-1) have classified CrVI
as a human carcinogen based on excess lung cancers found in workers
involved in chromate production, chromate pigment production, and
chromium plating. The American Conference for Governmental Hygienists
(ACGIH) classifies water-insoluble and water-soluble Cr IV compounds,
zinc chromate, and strontium chromate as class A1 (confirmed human)
carcinogens. (2002, ACGIH, TLVs and BEIs, Threshold
Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological
Exposure Indices).
Occupational exposure to CrVI has also been associated with non-
cancer health effects of the skin, such as dermatoses and chrome holes;
and problems of the respiratory system including nasal septum
irritation and perforation.
Occupational health regulation of CrVI exposure. In 1971, OSHA
adopted and made applicable to general industry a national consensus
standard (ANSI Z37.7-1971) for chromic acid and chromates (compounds
that contain chromium in its hexavalent state). 29 U.S.C. 655(a). The
general industry standard sets a permissible exposure limit (``PEL'')
for hexavalent chromium compounds at 100 micrograms per cubic meter
(g/m\3\) as a ceiling concentration measured as chromic acid
(CrO3), 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-1 and Z-2. In 1971, OSHA
also adopted, as its hexavalent chromium standard for construction
work, an established federal standard that had been promulgated under
the Construction Safety Act, 40 U.S.C. 333. That standard sets a PEL of
100 g/m\3\ (measured as CrO3) as an 8-hour time-
weighted average (8-hour TWA) for chromic acid and chromates, 29
CFR.1926.55.
In 1993, the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union (OCAW) and
Public Citizen Health Research Group petitioned OSHA to issue an
Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to immediately lower the PEL in all
workplaces to 0.5 g/m\3\, measured as an 8-hour TWA. OSHA
denied the petition because it failed to satisfy the stringent criteria
for an ETS. However, OSHA opened a rulemaking docket and began to
collect information that would be relevant to a CrVI rule.
The information available to date indicates that occupational
exposures to CrVI presents a number of complex and difficult issues
(e.g., data gaps on current usage of and exposure to CrVI, differences
in opinion on the interpretation of health effects data). In this
notice, OSHA is seeking information to help the agency resolve some of
these issues. OSHA believes that affording interested members of the
public the opportunity to be heard on these issues would benefit the
agency's decisional process.
III. Request for Data, Comments, and Information
OSHA requests data, comments, and information on a variety of
topics relevant to the agency's review of occupational exposure to
CrVI. The topics include: Adverse health effects associated with
occupational exposure to CrVI; methods, costs, and effectiveness of
control strategies that can reduce exposure to CrVI; and medical
management of exposed employees.
The questions below highlight the areas of concern to OSHA. When
answering specific numbered questions below, please key your responses
to the number of the question, explain the reasons supporting your
views, and identify and provide relevant information on which you rely,
including, but not limited to, data, studies and articles. The public
is also welcome to comment on other issues raised by this notice.
A. Health Effects
As discussed above, OSHA is aware of a number of studies reporting
an association between adverse health effects and exposure to CrVI. In
this notice, OSHA is seeking information associated with, and analysis
of, the most recent and important studies that the agency can use to
evaluate health effects.
(1) What studies (including positive and negative studies) should
OSHA consider useful in assessing the potential carcinogenic,
mutagenic, and non-carcinogenic health risks of CrVI exposure? Explain
your scientific rationale for recommending these studies including
potential strengths and weaknesses such as size of the population (or
sample) studied, characterization of exposure, and confounding factors.
(2) Are there any recent studies that examine the dermal effects of
CrVI exposure?
(3) Are there any studies showing adverse health effects resulting
from routes of occupational CrVI exposure other than dermal contact and
inhalation? What are those adverse health effects?
(4) Are there any important studies related to the dose response
behavior of CrVI, including cellular, mechanistic, and dosimetric
considerations? For instance, are any health effects of CrVI dependent
on the time period over which exposure occurs rather than dependent on
the total cumulative dose received or are there data that suggest CrVI
exhibits a threshold effect?
(5) Do short-term peak exposures play a role in causing adverse
CrVI health
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effects? If so, what studies are available that examine these types of
effects. How should short-term peak exposures be addressed when
evaluating CrVI health effects data? In answering, please consider both
animal and human studies.
(6) How should OSHA address animal and epidemiological studies that
rely on different analytical methods than are currently available to
assess exposure when evaluating the health effects data contained in
those studies?
(7) Animal studies are designed to test individual CrVI compounds
(e.g., lead chromate, strontium chromate, potassium chromate).
Epidemiological studies are designed to evaluate CrVI exposures in
individual workplaces or by types of industries (e.g., chromate
production, welding, pigment manufacture). Can or should the results
from these individually tested compounds or work settings/industries be
grouped together to assess the overall toxicity of CrVI or should each
compound or industry be analyzed separately? Do different CrVI
compounds have specific properties (e.g, solubility) that should be
taken into consideration when evaluating animal or human studies?
B. Risk Assessment
OSHA is aware of the following risk assessments on human studies of
lung cancer among workers exposed to CrVI via inhalation: The 1984 risk
assessment prepared by the U.S. EPA (Ex. 19-1); the 1986 risk
assessment prepared by Gibb et al. (Ex. 7-102); and the 1995 risk
assessment by K.S. Crump Division (Ex. 13-5). These risk assessments
relied heavily on the epidemiologic studies conducted by Mancuso (1975,
Ex. 18-3) and Hayes et al. (Ex. 1979, Ex. 7-15). Since these risk
assessments, Gibb et al. (2000, Ex. 25) has updated the investigation
of the cohort originally studied by Hayes et al. (Ex. 7-15). This study
notes limitations in the Mancuso data. OSHA is seeking the best
available data to use in assessments of occupational risks of CrVI-
related adverse health effects to CrVI-exposed workers. OSHA is
especially interested in studies of occupational exposure that quantify
exposure data and control for important confounding variables, have
good statistical power, and are well conducted.
(8) Do the EPA (Ex. 19-1), the Gibb et al (Ex. 7-102) and the K.S.
Crump (Ex. 13-5) risk assessments adequately characterize the lung
cancer risks of CrVI? Please provide your rationale including
information on studies selected and risk assessment methodology.
(9) What approaches (i.e., methods, models, data used) should OSHA
use for estimating risk of CrVI exposure?
(10) Are there biological endpoints, besides lung cancer, that
could or should be used to estimate the occupational risk to CrVI-
exposed workers?
(11) What mathematical models are appropriate to quantify the risk
of cancer or other adverse health effects associated with exposure to
CrVI? What are the strengths and weaknesses of those models?
(12) Animal studies can add value to a risk assessment in areas
such as dose-response. What, if any, animal studies are appropriate for
use in a CrVI risk assessment? Which animal species, tumor incidences,
route(s) of administration, and dose level(s) would be most
appropriate.
(13) When extrapolating from animal studies, what additional
corrections, if any, should be made to account for the route of
exposure used in the study (e.g., topical application, injection,
inhalation)?
(14) What other factors should OSHA take into consideration when
analyzing risks associated with exposure to CrVI at the current
permissible exposure level and in determining safe levels of exposure
to CrVI?
C. Methods of Analyzing Exposure Levels
In June 1998, OSHA revised and validated its analytical method
``ID-215'' to evaluate airborne occupational exposures of CrVI (Ex.
29). The method, ID-215, is very sensitive, with a qualitative
detection limit of 0.001 ug/m3 for a 960 liter air sample.
The quantitative detection limit is 0.003 ug/m3 for a 960
liter air sample.
Method ID-215 is an improvement over prior analytical methods for
airborne CrVI. Prior methods may have been subject to greater
interference from other heavy metals. In addition, reducing agents such
as Fe(II) could convert CrVI to CrIII and thus reduce the amount of
CrVI reported as measured.
(15) Are there methods other than ID-215 for measuring exposure
levels in the range of 0.02 to 10 ug/m3 that would be as
accurate as, or more accurate than, OSHA's ID-215?
(16) Are there methods for conducting wipe samples?
(17) Are there methods for conducting field-tests?
(18) Are there methods to determine the presence or absence of CrVI
in buildings for which no blueprints are in existence?
D. OSHA's Investigations into Occupational Exposures, Control Measures,
and Technological and Economic Feasibility
In 1994, OSHA contractor Meridian Research, Inc. delivered to the
agency a report, Selected Chapters of an Economic Impact Analysis for a
Revised OSHA Standard for Chromium VI: Introduction, Industry Profiles,
Exposure Profiles, Technological Feasibility (for 6 Industries) and
Environmental Impacts. (Ex. 26 ). This report was based, in part, on
earlier analyses conducted by Centaur (Ex. 27). The purpose of the
Meridian report was to ``evaluate the impact a revision of the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard for CrVI
may have in the principal industries that would be affected by the new
standard'' and to ``[identify] the potentially affected industries,
[discuss] the structure of these industries, [determine] the size of
the population at risk, [identify] current levels of exposure, and
[describe] some of the economic impacts potentially associated with a
reduction in CrVI exposures.''
Meridian identified many industries with potential CrVI exposure
for which Meridian was unable to provide full information. For example,
OSHA lacks information on number of employees exposed, number of sites,
nature and level of exposures, controls and how CrVI is used in
processes for industries such as woodworking, refractory brick
production, portland cement uses and leather tanning. Moreover, in the
years since the Meridian report, market forces, technological changes
and environmental factors have, in varying degrees, altered the
magnitude, frequency, and duration of employee exposures in the
industries that have traditionally handled CrVI. Because of these
trends, some industries have abandoned or dramatically reduced usage of
CrVI.
For these reasons, OSHA has worked to obtain additional information
on affected industries and workers by utilizing the following sources:
(1) Inspection reports collected and summarized within OSHA's
computerized Integrated Management Information System; (2) occupational
health studies; and (3) data related to site visits conducted by the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) under an
inter-agency agreement between NIOSH and OSHA. OSHA sought information
on patterns of employee exposure, specific routes of exposure, type and
cost of engineering controls in particular industries, and types and
costs of personal protective
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equipment. OSHA has worked closely with NIOSH on this update. NIOSH has
completed its field surveillance program and has delivered reports on
roughly one-half of the sites. It has also summarized exposure data for
the remaining sites. (Ex. 28). OSHA requests that the public review the
industrial and exposure data reported by Meridian and NIOSH and provide
comment on the representativeness of these data. OSHA further requests
that the public comment on technological and economic forces that,
especially within the last five to ten years, have altered worker
exposure to CrVI.
Employee Exposure and Monitoring
(19) Are the industrial profiles described by Meridian and NIOSH
reasonably reflective of current conditions, or have workplace and
process conditions and worker activities changed to such an extent that
the profiles would need revision? Are there industries or processes
with CrVI exposures that are not covered in these reports?
(20) Are the exposure profiles reported by Meridian and NIOSH
reasonably representative of affected industry processes or have there
been changes in the statistical distribution of worker exposures in
those profiles? OSHA requests exposure data that will enable the Agency
to expand its current profile of the exposed worker population. For
cases where commenters are able to provide exposure data, OSHA requests
that, if possible, exposure data be personal samples with clear
descriptions of the length of the sample. If this is not possible, the
exposure data should clearly indicate the form and length of the
exposure. In addition, exposure data that provide information
concerning the controls in place are more valuable than exposure data
without such information
(21) What are the job categories in which employees are potentially
exposed to CrVI in your company or industry? For each job category,
provide a brief description of the operation.
(22) How many employees are exposed, or have the potential for
exposure, to CrVI in each job category in your company or industry?
(23) What are the frequency, duration and levels of exposures to
CrVI at each job category in your company or industry? Include the
analytical method and type of samples used for determining exposure
levels. For cases where commenters are able to provide exposure data,
OSHA requests that, if possible, exposure data be personal samples with
clear descriptions of the length of the sample. If this is not
possible, the exposure data should clearly indicate the form and length
of the exposure.
(24) What engineering controls and types of protective equipment
are either in use or available for each job category?
(25) What sampling and analytical methods are currently available
to measure CrVI in your workplace? Provide details on the accuracy and
precision of the sampling method, the range and limits of detection,
the method of validation of sampling and analysis, and chemical
interference.
(26) Describe any programs you have implemented for initial
monitoring of exposure to CrVI. Do you conduct initial sampling or do
you rely on objective data to estimate CrVI exposures? Describe any
other programs you have implemented for assessing an employee's initial
exposure to CrVI.
(27) Describe any follow-up or subsequent exposure assessments that
you conduct. How often do you conduct any such follow-up or subsequent
exposure assessments?
Control Measures and Technological Feasibility
(28) Have there been technological changes within your industry
that have influenced the magnitude, frequency, or duration of exposure
to CrVI and the means by which employers attempt to control exposures?
The Agency requests that commenters describe in detail any
technological changes within industries that have altered methods of
control. Provide direct links between control technologies and data on
exposure levels associated with the application of controls.
(29) Have you installed engineering controls or adopted work
practices with the purpose of reducing exposure to CrVI? If so, have
these controls or work practices resulted in a reduction of CrVI
exposure? Please give specific examples where the introduction of
controls and work practices have reduced exposure to CrVI.
(30) Has there been a trend to eliminate CrVI from production
processes, products and services? If so, OSHA requests that interested
parties comment on the success of substitution efforts. In particular,
OSHA requests that commenters estimate the percentage reduction in
CrVI, and the extent to which CrVI is still necessary in their
processes within product lines or production activities. OSHA also
requests that commenters describe any technical, economic or other
barriers or hindrances to substitution.
Economic Impact
(31) The Agency seeks comment on potential impacts of reducing
occupational exposures to CrVI, in terms of costs of controls,
reduction in illness, cost savings related to accident avoidance,
effects on revenue and profit, changes in worker productivity, or any
other impact measure that commenters wish to identify. In describing
and estimating impacts, please provide explicit examples of costs that
could be incurred (e.g., dollar estimates of controls) or benefits that
could be achieved (e.g., dollar estimates of medical savings from
reduced cases of chromium-related illness).
(32) OSHA requests that commenters provide information on changes
in market conditions that could result from reducing employees'
exposures to CrVI. Include in your response any changes in market
structure or concentration, or effects on domestic or international
shipments of chromium-related products or services, that would result
from reducing occupational exposures to CrVI.
E. Personal Protective Equipment and Respirators
(33) Are respirators provided to employees in your company or
industry to protect against excessive airborne exposure CrVI? Why are
they necessary and how are these respirators selected? Identify the
type, model number, and manufacturer of such respirators by task.
(34) What other types of protective equipment, such as gloves,
aprons, or other clothing, are provided to employees? How is this
protective equipment selected?
(35) Under what conditions (e.g., exposure level, type of
operations, duration of exposure) are protective equipment and
respirators used?
(36) Are there processes or areas where it is infeasible to use
respirators or other protective equipment to protect against exposure
to CrVI? Describe those situations and explain why it is difficult to
use protective equipment. How are employees protected in those
situations?
F. Employee Training
(37) What job categories are included in your training program for
reducing risks associated with CrVI exposure? How do you determine
which job categories receive training?
(38) Describe the training employees receive, including the length
and frequency of the training course, the topics covered, and the
availability of training aids such as audio-visual aids and written
operating instructions. Also
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describe any other factors that affect the cost of training and provide
any estimate of the cost of training.
(39) How do you determine the effectiveness of the training? Are
decreased absenteeism, decreased medical/insurance costs, decreased
accident rates/severity, and increased productivity factors in your
determination? Are there any other factors in your determination? How
are language barriers to training addressed?
(40) Are there ways in which CrVI-related training could be
improved?
G. Medical Programs
OSHA is interested in medical programs that employers use or could
use in the identification of signs and symptoms of illnesses associated
with occupational exposures to CrVI. OSHA is especially interested in
those programs focusing on prevention or treatment of CrVI-related
injuries or illnesses for employees who have occupational exposure to
CrVI.
(41) What medical or clinical examinations have potential
usefulness in identifying workers with adverse health effects resulting
from occupational CrVI exposure? Include specific tests or procedures
used in any such examination and other useful information, such as the
types of laboratories used for biological tests, the frequency of
examinations and follow-up tests, and the contents of the examinations?
(42) What CrVI-related illnesses or conditions have you observed?
What programs do you have in place to detect and refer employees for
medical management?
(43) Do you have any information to suggest that the use of an
employee medical management program designed to prevent adverse CrVI-
related health effects such as ``chrome holes'' (ulcerations of the
skin caused by CrVI) or nasal septum perforations reduces the incidence
or prevalence of other CrVI-related effects, such as lung or other
cancers?
(44) Are there any studies that suggest that elevated biological
indicators (such as CrVI in blood or urine) are associated with an
elevated risk of lung cancer or other adverse health effects such as
asthma? What are normal levels of chromium in blood or urine in non-
occupational exposed populations? Are these indicators affected by
diet?
(45) Is there any information that suggests that biological
indicators other than CrVI in blood or urine could be appropriate for
evaluating risk of adverse health effects associated with CrVI
exposures among workers?
(46) Are there any studies that suggest that chromium with other
valences, other than in the CrVI valence, can be taken up by the red
blood cells?
(47) When you evaluate an employee's chromium-blood levels, do you
use whole blood or packed red blood cells? What is the significance of
using one over the other?
(48) How do you determine eligibility in your medical screening
program?
(49) Provide any information relating reduction in adverse health
outcomes to the implementation of medical surveillance programs.
(50) Are your healthcare costs less after medical screening is
initiated?
(51) Do you ever remove employees because of illness or injury
related to CrVI exposure? If so, describe the circumstances of the
removal and potential return. For how long are these employees removed?
Are workers ever permanently removed?
(52) Please describe any special medical screening and treatment
you conduct for chrome holes, dermatoses, and nasal septal
perforations.
H. Environmental Effects
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations
(49 CFR. Part 1500, 43 F.R. 55978, November 29, 1978), and the
Department of Labor (DOL) NEPA Compliance Regulations (29 CFR. Part
11); (45 F.R. 51187 et seq., August 1, 1980) require that OSHA give
appropriate consideration to environmental issues and impacts of
proposed actions significantly affecting the quality of the human
environment. OSHA is currently collecting written information and data
on possible environmental impacts that could occur outside of the
workplace (e.g., exposure to the community through contaminated air/
water, contaminated waste sites, etc.) if the agency were to issue
guidance or revise the existing standard for occupational exposure to
CrVI. Such information should include both negative and positive
environmental effects that could be expected to result from guidance or
a revised standard. Specifically, OSHA requests comments and
information on the following:
(53) How might reducing occupational exposures to CrVI exposure
affect the environment?
(54) What is the potential direct or indirect impact of reducing
employee exposure to CrVI exposure on water and air pollution, energy
usage, solid waste disposal, and land use?
(55) How would any available CrVI substitutes alter ambient air
quality, water quality, solid waste disposal, and land use?
(56) Are there situations in which reducing CrVI exposures to
employees would be inconsistent with meeting environmental regulations?
I. Impact on Small Business Entities
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), OSHA
is required to assess the impact of proposed and final rules on small
entities. OSHA requests that members of the small business community,
or other parties familiar with regulation of small business, address
any special circumstances facing small firms in controlling
occupational exposure to CrVI.
(57) How many and what kinds of small businesses or other small
entities in your industry could be affected by reducing exposures to
CrVI? Describe any such effects.
(58) Are there special issues that make control of CrVI exposures
more difficult or more costly in small firms?
(59) Are there any reasons that the benefits of reducing
occupational exposure to CrVI might be less in small firms than in
larger firms? With regard to potential impacts on small firms, please
describe specific concerns that should be addressed. Please describe
alternatives that might serve to minimize these impacts while meeting
the requirements of the OSH Act.
J. Duplication/Overlapping/Conflicting Rules
(60) Are there any federal regulations that might duplicate,
overlap or conflict with guidance or a revised standard concerning
CrVI? If so, identify which ones and explain how they would duplicate,
overlap or conflict.
(61) Are there any federal programs in areas such as defense or
energy that might be impacted by guidance or a revised standard
concerning CrVI? If so, identify which ones and explain how they would
be impacted.
Authority and Signature
This document was prepared under the direction of John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20210. It is issued pursuant to sections 4, 6, and 8 of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657),
Secretary's Order 3-2000, and 29 CFR Part 1911.
[[Page 54394]]
Signed at Washington, DC this 16th day of August, 2002.
John L. Henshaw,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 02-21449 Filed 8-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P