Dueling Workplace Safety Rules From Agencies Create Confusion

Companies and unions need clearer answers to questions arising as two federal agencies now regulate workplace safety for chemicals, attorneys said in recent interviews.

Worker protections have been a core part of the chemical regulations the Environmental Protection Agency began to issue last year to comply with the 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act.

Yet, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s regulations and standards remain in effect.

Companies are accustomed to working with OSHA on workplace safety. Adding EPA to the mix creates confusion, said John Surma, a shareholder in Ogletree Deakins’ Houston office.

“The more confusion you have, the greater ...