Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Rules in Development
The items listed below are projects Oregon OSHA is currently engaged in. These rules are in the pre-proposed stage. If you have questions about these projects or are interested in participating in the process, use the Oregon OSHA staff contact information for the item of interest.
Consultation
Summary: Oregon OSHA has restarted the rulemaking process regarding the correction of serious hazards consultation provided by 21d funded consultants or public entities under consultation, and confidentiality of an entity's inspection report. This rulemaking had originally been started by Oregon OSHA late in 2020, but that effort was stalled due to COVID-19 related rulemaking activities.
Timetable: Oregon OSHA is currently working to put together a stakeholder group made up of public and private employers, employee advocates, and other interested parties to serve on a Rules Advisory Committee.
Oregon OSHA staff contact:
Sky Wescott
350 Winter Street NE
Salem OR 97301-3882
Telephone: 541-841-8433
Email: Sky.I.WESCOTT@dcbs.oregon.gov
Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
Summary: Oregon OSHA is tackling the challenge of the outdated permissible exposure limits (PELs). We met with industry experts to determine which constituents have PELs that are under protective and expose employees in Oregon.
Timetable: The advisory committee met and decided to begin rulemaking for Lead and Manganese PELs. After these rulemakings are substantially completed, the advisory committee will meet again to discuss which PELs to do next.
Oregon OSHA staff contact:
Technical staff, Oregon OSHA
350 Winter Street NE
Salem OR 97301-3882
Telephone: 503-378-3272
Email:
tech.web@dcbs.oregon.gov
Lead (PEL)
Summary: As part of Oregon OSHA’s initiative to address outdated exposure limits, a stakeholder group was convened to address outdated limits for lead. The committee is comprised of representatives from a wide variety of businesses and organizations. If you would like to be a part of this group, please send an email
Matthew.C.Kaiser@dcbs.oregon.gov, and include your contact information and whom you represent.
Timetable: The first stakeholder meeting was July 12, 2017. The stakeholder group met multiple times in 2017 and will reconvene meetings in early 2018. For meeting minutes and more information about the stakeholder group, see the
Lead Advisory Committee page.
Oregon OSHA is working with the State of Washington Department of Occupational Safety and Health (WA-DOSH) for this rulemaking. Washington’s first meeting was June 29. Visit
WA-DOSH rulemaking page.
Oregon OSHA staff contact:
Matt Kaiser, Oregon OSHA
350 Winter St NE
Salem OR 97301-3882
Telephone: 503-947-7386
Email:
Matthew.C.Kaiser@dcbs.oregon.gov
Non-Entry Firefighting - Division 2
Summary: Oregon OSHA has begun the process of consulting stakeholders regarding rulemaking to protect employees of industries whose focus is not firefighting, but who may be asked to assist in fire containment activities. These employees are often part of rural fire agencies that do not go inside a building to fight a fire but may work to contain the fire until fire departments arrive. Oregon OSHA has put together a stakeholder group with the core consisting of the fire services advisory committee, as well as members of other interested parties.
Timetable: The non-entry firefighting stakeholders have met multiple times in 2019, and continue to bring draft language and suggestions to the fire services advisory committee. These groups will continue to meet throughout 2020 before proposing potential rule changes.
Oregon OSHA staff contact:
Renée Stapleton, Oregon OSHA
350 Winter Street NE
Salem OR 97301-3882
Telephone: 503-947-7402
Email:
renee.m.stapleton@dcbs.oregon.gov