Washington — OSHA will collaborate with the Environmental Protection Agency on its work to manage existing chemicals under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Section 6 “provides EPA with the authority to prohibit or limit the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce, use, or disposal of a chemical if EPA evaluates the risk and concludes that the chemical presents an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment.”
The agencies formally coordinated efforts to continue an existing partnership in a Memorandum of Understanding announced Jan. 13.
“The parties anticipate that the coordination and synergies achieved here will result in improved workplace health and safety protections for workers using existing chemical substances” under the TSCA and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and “allow for effective implementation of our national workplace and environmental protection statutes,” the memorandum states.
EPA and OSHA will share information on:
- TSCA Section 6 prioritization, risk evaluation, rulemaking and implementation efforts pertaining to chemical hazards in the workplace.
- Outreach and communication materials for stakeholders about EPA rules and OSHA requirements, including TSCA Section 6 and OSHA rules that regulate the same chemical hazards.
- Inspections and enforcement activity such as each agency’s area of focus, complaints, inspections and potential violations where mutual interest exists.
- Protocols to ensure confidential information is being properly exchanged between the agencies when carrying out law enforcement actions or otherwise protecting health or the environment.
Effective for five years, the MOU is voluntary and “does not create any contractual obligations.”
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication