OSHA has started to update its regulations to match national consensus standards.
Specifically, OSHA is updating the references in its PPE regulations for general industry, shipyards, and longshoring and marine terminals. The regulations will now reflect more recent editions of the applicable national consensus standards that incorporate advances in PPE.
The incorporated American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards are over a decade old, and in some cases, two decades old.
These updated regulations involve eye, face, head and foot protection.
OSHA is using a direct final rule to update these standards, and says there are more updates to come. These updates take effect Oct. 9, 2009.
The specifics are in the 9/9/09 edition of the Federal Register.