(Salem) -- The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) has again extended the public comment period on proposed additional safeguards against pesticide drift. The decision moves the deadline from Feb. 28 to March 15 and allows more time to comment on the proposed rules while considering a revised statement of need and financial impact.
Oregon OSHA appointed a Fiscal Impact Advisory Committee to provide additional analysis as part of the agency's updates to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Worker Protection Standard. The committee included both grower and worker representatives. The committee finished its work in February with an Amended Statement of Need and Fiscal Impact.
Oregon OSHA's rule proposals add protections to the EPA's Application Exclusion Zone. The zone surrounds and moves with pesticide-spray equipment during applications. It must be free of all people other than appropriately trained and equipped pesticide handlers.
Learn more about Oregon OSHA's rule proposals and review the Amended Statement of Need and Fiscal Impact at http://osha.oregon.gov/rules/making/Pages/proposed.aspx
Learn more about the Fiscal Impact Advisory Committee at
http://osha.oregon.gov/rules/advisory/ag-emp/Pages/wps-fiac.aspx
Extending the comment period through March 15 marks the third time Oregon OSHA has allowed more time to review and remark on the rule proposals. The comment period was originally scheduled to end Dec. 15. To comment:
Department of Consumer and Business Services/Oregon OSHA
350 Winter St. NE
Salem, OR 97301-3882
Email: tech.web@oregon.gov
Fax: 503-947-7461
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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state's workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, visit www.osha.oregon.gov.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.