Nes Release USDL: 95-339
Wednesday, August 30, 1995
Contact: Frank Kane, (202) 219-8151

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Steel Erection Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee (SENRAC) is expected to reach consensus on a draft proposal for a revised steel erection standard at its next meeting, Sept. 19-21.

The meeting will be held in the U.S. Department of Labor, DOL Academy, Room C-5321. Seminar Room 4, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. It will begin at 10 a.m. on September 19.

SENRAC was established May 11, 1994, to resolve issues associated with developing a notice of proposed rulemaking on steel erection. Appointees to the committee include representatives from labor, industry, public interests, and government agencies.

SENRAC has met nine times since it began negotiations in June, 1994. The committee established work groups to deal with such issues as fall protection, construction specifications and scope, and later to develop a draft revision of Subpart R of the construction industry standards, which covers steel erection.

At its last meeting June 27-29, the committee reached agreement on major issues and most elements of the draft revision. However, the members could not agree on fall protection.

OSHA determined that since the committee had made significant progress on fall protection and agreed to other very important improvements to the existing standard, it would allow the committee to convene a work group to resolve the fall protection issues.

On July 26, a work group met in Philadelphia and tentatively agreed on fall protection requirements for steel erection. This recommendation will be presented to the full committee at the September meeting where it is expected consensus will be reached on the complete draft proposal.

OSHA will then complete the preamble to the proposal and prepare the document in proper Federal Register format for publication as a proposed rule.

The committee meetings will be open to the public, with seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No advance registration is required.

Persons with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact the facilitator, Philip J. Harter, by Sept. 12. He can be reached at Suite 204, 2301 M St., NW, Washington, D.C., 20037; telephone (202) 887-1033, fax (202) 887-1036.

During the meeting, members of the general public may informally request permission to address the committee.

Minutes of the meetings and materials prepared for the committee will be available for public inspection at the OSHA Docket Office, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20210, telephone (202) 219-7894. Copies of these materials may be obtained by sending a written request to the facilitator.

Notice of the meeting is published in the Wednesday, Aug. 30, 1995, Federal Register.