OSHA Will Not Delay Deadlines for Mixtures under HazComm Standard

The Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration has indicated that it will not delay the Hazard Communication Standard's June 2015 deadline for mixtures as it relates to the new warning label and Safety Data Sheet requirements.  A coaltion of nine industry groups had sent a letter to OSHA requesting that the Agency push back the deadline by two years arguing that the deadline is unworkable since companies shipping chemicals may not get the information they need from their raw material suppliers in time to upate their labels and safety data sheets. OSHA informed the groups that those shipping materials don't need to be in compliance with the new requirements by June 2015 if companies can demonstrate that they tried to get the necessary information.  The Agency is in the process of developing a written enforcement policy that provides specific guidance on this issue.  The directive, under development, is chiefly for inspectors and other enforcement officials, however, it will also provide guidance for employers on what constitutes compliance with the new standard.