What's on OSHA's To-Do List? OSHA Publishes Current Regulatory Agenda
OSHA's regulatory agenda has been published with a list of priorities the agency is working on.
OSHA publishes its regulatory agenda twice a year showing standards under development and their progress stage. Understanding what’s coming allows you to get ahead of compliance rather than scrambling after final rules are issued.
⚡ In short: OSHA’s current agenda includes updates to Hazard Communication (7th Edition GHS), Lockout/Tagout (computer-based controls), Crane and Derricks, Powered Industrial Trucks, and new standards for heat illness, tree care, communication towers, and healthcare workplace violence. Most items are years away from final rule, but early preparation saves six figures in implementation costs.
Twice a year federal agencies update their regulatory plans so stakeholders can weigh in during comment periods.
⚠️ Why this matters: Facilities that wait for final rules to plan implementation find themselves scrambling to comply within transition periods — often 30–90 days — and face OSHA enforcement scrutiny if gaps appear. Early-movers who begin implementation during the proposed rule stage typically demonstrate good faith, negotiate easier compliance timelines, and avoid the cost surge of reactive retrofits. Standards in pre-rule stage today become citations in 18–24 months.
Final Rule Stage These are the ones closest to being issued as a final rule. Walking Working Surfaces1910.28(b)(11)(ii), 1910.29(f)(1) Feedback about provisions of the 2016 final rule being unclear led OSHA to work to update some formatting errors in Table D-2 and to revise language about the requirements for stair rail systems to make them clearer. Procedures for Handling Retaliation Complaints Under Whistleblower Protection Statuses, Under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and Under the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation ActMultiple These three are basically the same, laying groundwork for procedures on how to handle and investigate complaints and protect retaliation against whistleblowers. Proposed Rule Stage Improved Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses1904.41 This proposed rule would require establishments already reporting OSHA 300As electronically to submit the OSHA 300 and 301 information electronically as well. This was an original feature of the standard, but was removed in 2019. Those who are required to report electronically are employers with 250 or more employees. Hazcom Updates1910.1200 The last Hazard Communication Standard incorporated the 3rd Edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). GHS has been updated several times since 2012, and OSHA wants to update the standard to reflect the 7th Edition of GHS. Amendments to the Crane and Derricks in Construction Standard1926 Correct references to power line voltage for direct current (DC) voltages as well as alternating current (AC) voltages; Broaden the exclusion for forklifts carrying loads under the forks from “winch or hook” to a “winch and boom”; Clarify an exclusion for work activities by articulating cranes; Provide 4 definitions inadvertently omitted in the final standard; Replace “minimum approach distance” with “minimum clearance distance” throughout to remove ambiguity; Clarify the use of demarcated boundaries for work near power lines; Correct an error permitting body belts to be used as a personal fall arrest system rather than a personal fall restraint system; Replace the verb “must” with “may” used in error in several provisions; correct an error in a caption on standard hand signals; and Resolve an issue of “NRTL-approved” safety equipment (e.g., proximity alarms and insulating devices) that is required by the final standard, but is not yet available. Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica in Construction1926.1153(c) OSHA wants to seek information on the effectiveness of the dust control measures currently included in Table 1. They also want to find out if there are any other tasks or tools that would be effective to add to Table 1. Employers who follow Table 1 correctly are not required to measure workers’ exposure to silica and are not subject to the permissible exposure limit (PEL). Welding in Construction Confined Spaces1926.353 OSHA wants to amend the Welding and Cutting Standard to remove any ambiguity about the definition of a confined space. The explanation portion of the 2015 Confined Spaces in Construction standard discusses how the welding standard and the confined spaces standard work together. Although the confined spaces standard states that it encompasses welding activities, the welding standard does not expressly identify a definition of “confined space”. PPE in Construction1926.95 Clarification of requirements for the fit of PPE in construction. Updates to Lockout/Tagout1910.147 OSHA recognizes technological advancements in computer-based controls of hazardous energy conflict with the LOTO standard. These controls are increasingly being used and there are consensus standards for their design. Other countries are also accepting their use. OSHA wants to look into harmonizing the current standard with those other countries. There is a current RFI out which is seeking information to understand the strengths and limitations of these devices and their potential hazards to workers. Powered Industrial Truck Design Standard Update1910.178, 1926.602 OSHA is proposing to update the referenced ANSI standard from ANSI B56.1-1969 Safety Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks to also include the latest version of ANSI/ITSDF B56.1a-2018, Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks. State Plans – Arizona and Massachusetts1952 In the Arizona rule, OSHA is considering revoking Arizona’s State Plan because they didn’t issue an Emergency Temporary Standard for COVID within the 30 days OSHA gave them to adopt their own standard. State Plans are required to issue regulations as strong as or stronger than federal OSHA. Massachusetts is applying to have a State Plan applicable only to state and local government employees. Specific Industries Medical – Infectious Diseases1910 This rule is meant to identify standards to protect workers in health care, emergency response, prisons, homeless shelters, drug treatment programs, medical examiners, labs, and other occupational settings where there’s a high risk of transmission of infectious diseases such as TB, MRSA, SARS, chickenpox, shingles and COVID. Shipyard Fall Protection – Scaffolds, Ladders and Other Working Surfaces1915.71-1915.77, subpart E The current subpart E section of the standard is not comprehensive in its coverage of fall hazards in shipyards. OSHA issued a Request for Information and is considering updating existing standards and dividing the rulemaking into three subparts: subpart E, Stairways, Ladders and Other Access and Egress; subpart M, Fall Protection; and subpart N, Scaffolds. Communication Tower Construction and Maintenance1926 and 1910 Communication tower work has a high fatality rate and construction is expected to greatly increase. OSHA has been collecting information and has determined current fall protection and personnel hoisting guidance may not adequately cover this work. OSHA will be determining if a separate standard is needed, including covering structures that have telecommunications equipment on it or attached to them such as rooftops, buildings, water towers and billboards. Tree CareNo Specific Reg Cited There is no standard for tree care operations, which is a high hazard industry. The tree care industry has petitioned to have a rule, and OSHA has collected information from affected small entities on what may be included in a potential standard. Prerule Stage Heat Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work SettingsNo Specific Reg Cited This has gotten more publicity in the past few years. In our blog in 2019 we wrote about a House bill that would require OSHA to develop a formal heat standard. The effort and debate continues. OSHA says that given the potentially broad scope of regulatory efforts to protect workers from heat hazards, as well as a number of technical issues and considerations with regulating this hazard (e.g., heat stress thresholds, heat acclimatization planning, exposure monitoring, medical monitoring), a Request for Information would allow them to begin a dialogue and engage with stakeholders to explore the potential for rulemaking on this topic. Blood Lead Level for Medical Removal1910.1025, 1926.62 OSHA is looking at reducing the trigger level for removing personnel from lead exposures. Current levels require medical removal at 60 µg/dL in general industry, 50 µg/dL in construction and the return of employees to a former job status at below 40 µg/dL. OSHA will be seeking public input on levels, identifying possible areas of the lead standard that need to be revised and how to improve worker protection where preventable lead exposures continue to occur. Emergency Response1910 Current OSHA standards don’t reflect the full range of hazards that emergency responders encounter nor the advancements in PPE, in technology, nor the major developments already being accepted by the emergency response community and consensus standards. OSHA is considering updating these based on information gathered through a request for information and public meetings. Process Safety Management and Prevention of Major Chemical Accidents1910.119 OSHA has been looking at potentially modernizing the PSM standard and related standards since 2013. Stakeholder meetings are next on the list. Mechanical Power Presses UpdateNo Specific Reg Cited The current OSHA standard is over 40 years old and does not address the use of hydraulic or pneumatic power presses or any other technological changes. OSHA previously published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Mechanical Power Presses (June 2007) in which it identified several options for updating this standard. It’s still on the list. Prevention of Workplace Violence in Health Care and Social AssistanceNo Specific Reg Cited This has been on the list since 2017 and is related to impacts of workplace violence, prevention strategies and other information in health care and social assistance. OSHA was petitioned for a standard preventing workplace violence in health care by a broad coalition of labor unions, and in a separate petition by the National Nurses United. A small business study (like those conducted for specific industries) is next on the list. Staying ahead of OSHA’s regulatory agenda is critical for facilities wanting to avoid reactive compliance. Heat illness standards, workplace violence protections, and tree care rules are moving through pre-rule and proposed stages — facilities that assess applicability now will have designs ready before final rules trigger enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does OSHA’s regulatory agenda work and how often is it updated?
Federal agencies, including OSHA, publish regulatory agendas twice annually describing planned rulemaking activities. Items progress through stages: pre-rule (RFI and stakeholder input), proposed rule (public comment), and final rule (near issuance). Agencies use these agendas to signal upcoming compliance requirements and gather stakeholder input before formal rulemaking begins.
Q: What are the key OSHA standards being updated in the coming years?
Major standards undergoing updates include: Hazard Communication (adopting 7th Edition GHS), Lockout/Tagout (addressing computer-based control systems), Crane and Derricks in Construction (correcting technical references), Walking Working Surfaces, Powered Industrial Truck design, and Crystalline Silica in Construction. Heat illness prevention is in pre-rule development, while Process Safety Management (PSM) has been under review since 2013.
Q: Are there new OSHA standards being developed for industry-specific hazards?
Yes, OSHA is developing standards for: Communication tower construction (high fatality industry), tree care operations (no current standard), workplace violence prevention in health care, and medical infectious disease protection. Shipyard fall protection is also being comprehensively revised to better address work surfaces, scaffolds, and ladders unique to shipyard environments.
Q: How should facilities monitor upcoming OSHA changes to stay ahead of compliance?
Facilities should review OSHA’s semi-annual regulatory agenda (available on OSHA.gov), monitor Requests for Information (RFI) that signal coming rules, and subscribe to OSHA updates. iSi Environmental tracks regulatory changes affecting Kansas City, Wichita, and Tulsa facilities and helps clients prepare for upcoming compliance requirements before final rules are issued.
💰 What delayed regulatory preparation costs: Facilities that wait until final rule stage to begin implementation often miss transition deadlines, triggering early enforcement. Heat standard implementation cost estimates run $50K–$500K+ depending on outdoor worker count, cooling systems, and PPE overhauls. Early-stage assessment and design cost a fraction of reactive retrofits plus expedited training and enforcement defense.
Need to know if upcoming OSHA changes apply to your facility? Run the 60-second Compliance Gap check or get a regulatory readiness proposal from our team.
We Plug In. You Level Up. Talk to an iSi compliance specialist →