Coalition Comments on OSHA Proposal for Proper Fit of PPE

ARTBA and its fellow members of the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) sent a letter to the Assistant Secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning Personal Protective Equipment in Construction. The coalition offered the following comments:

• Clarification is needed on how OSHA intends to enforce the rule in construction.
• Clarification is needed on the “additional hazards” improperly fitted PPE may cause.
• OSHA should develop meaningful guidance consisting of specific criteria.
• There is a lack of specificity with the proposed definition, likely resulting in confusion among the regulated community.
• OSHA ignores the unique characteristics of the construction industry in aligning its PPE standard with general industry and maritime.
• CISC is concerned about potential burdens imposed on employers.