Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Connecticut State Standards; Approval

1. Background. Part 1953 of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, prescribes procedures under Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (hereinafter called the Act) by which the Regional Administrator for Occupational Safety and Health (hereinafter called Regional Administrator) under a delegation of authority from the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (hereinafter called the Assistant Secretary), (29 CFR 1953.4), will review and approve standards promulgated pursuant to a state Plan, which has been approved in accordance with Section 18(c) of the Act and 29 CFR part 1902. On November 3, 1978, notice was published in the Federal Register (43 FR 51390) of the approval of the Connecticut Public Service State Plan and the adoption of subpart E to part 1956 containing the decision.

The Connecticut Public Sector only State Plan provides for the adoption of Federal standards as State standards after:

a. Publishing an intent to amend the State Plan by adopting the standard(s) in the Connecticut Law Journal.

b. Approval by the Commissioner of Labor and the Attorney General of the State of Connecticut.

c. Approval by the Legislative Regulation Review Committee, State of Connecticut.

d. Filing in the Office of the Secretary of State, State of Connecticut.

e. Publishing a notice that the State Plan is amended by adopting the standard(s) in the Connecticut Law Journal.

The Connecticut Public Sector State Plan provides for the adoption of State standards which are at least as effective as comparable Federal standards promulgated under Section 6, of the Act. By letter dated July 28, 1993, from Commissioner Ronald F. Petronella, Connecticut Department of Labor, to John B. Miles, Jr., Regional Administration, and incorporated as part of the plan, the State submitted updated State standards identical to 29 CFR Parts 1910, 1915, and 1926 and subsequent amendments thereto, as described below:

(1) Amendment to 29 CFR Part 1926, Safety Standards for Stairways and Ladders Used in the Construction Industry (56 FR 41794 dated 8/23/91).

(2) Addition of 29 CFR 1910.1030, Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens (56 FR 64175, dated 12/6/91).

(3) Addition of 29 CFR Part 1910, Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals; Explosives and Blasting Agents; Final rule (57 FR 6403, dated 2/24/92).

(4) Amendment and Corrections to 29 CFR part 1910, Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde (57 FR 22307, dated 5/27/92; 57 FR 24701, dated 6/10/92 and; 57 FR 27160, dated 6/18/92).

(5) Amendment and Correction to 29 CFR parts 1910 and 1926, Occupational Exposure to Asbestos, Tremolite, Anthophyllite and Actinolite (57 FR 24330, dated 6/8/92 and 57 FR 29119, dated 6/30/92).

(6) Additions and Amendments to 29 CFR parts 1910 and 1926, Occupational Exposure to 4,4' Methylenedianiline (MDA) (57 FR 35666, dated 8/10/92 and 57 FR 49649, dated 11/3/92).

(7) Addition to 29 CFR parts 1910, 1915, and 1926, Occupational Exposure to Cadmium (57 FR 42388, dated 9/14/92).

These standards, contained in the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies became effective April 28, 1992; May 22, 1992; September 17, 1992; July 2, 1993, and July 21, 1993, pursuant to Section 31-372 of Connecticut State Law.

2. Decision. Having reviewed the State submission in comparison with the Federal standards, it has been determined that the State standards are identical to the Federal standards, and are accordingly approved.

3. Location of supplement for inspection and copying. A copy of the standards supplement, along with the approved plan, may be inspected and copied during normal business hours at the following locations: Office of the Regional Admininistrator, 133 Portland Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; Office of the Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Department of Labor, 200 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, Connecticut 06109, and the Office of State Programs, Room N3700, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210.

4. Public participation. Under 29 CFR 1953.2(c), the Assistant Secretary may prescribe alternative procedures to expedite the review process or for other good cause which may be consistent with applicable laws. The Assistant Secretary finds that good cause exists for not publishing the supplement to the Connecticut Public Sector Plan as a proposed change and making the Regional Administrator's approval effective upon publication for the following reasons:1. The standards were adopted in accordance with the procedural requirements of State law which included public comment, and further public participation would be repetitious.

This decision is effective on October 1, 1993.

Authority: Sec. 18, Pub. L. 91-596, 84 Stat. 1608 (29 U.S.C. 667). Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 10th day of August 1993.

John B. Miles, Jr,
Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 930924180 Filed 909300993; 8:45 am]