State Plans: Coverage of the United States Postal Service and Other Coverage Issues-Changes to Level of Federal Enforcement for Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, the Virgin Islands, Washington and Wyoming

This document amends OSHA's regulations to reflect declination of jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service (U.S. Postal Service or USPS) and its facilities by all twenty-three (23) approved State Plans which cover the private sector. The Postal Employees' Safety Enhancement Act of 1998 (PESEA) amended the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) to include the USPS within its definition of "employer." Accordingly, OSHA assumed jurisdiction for the USPS on September 29, 1998. PESEA extends all provisions of the Act to the USPS, including section 18 of the Act, thus granting the OSHA- approved State plans the authority to regulate the USPS. Subsequently, OSHA required the State plan States to either elect to amend their State plans to cover the USPS, or to decline to exercise such coverage, in which case coverage would remain a Federal OSHA responsibility. All affected State plans declined. OSHA is hereby amending pertinent sections of its regulations on approved State plans to reflect the declination of State jurisdiction and the continuation of Federal OSHA enforcement authority over the USPS, including contract employees and contractor-operated facilities engaged in USPS mail operations, in all of the twenty-three (23) States operating OSHA-approved State plans covering the private sector, and notifying affected employers and employees of this action. As a result, Federal OSHA is responsible for safety and health enforcement with respect to the USPS and its facilities in all States nationwide. In addition, technical corrections are being made pertaining to maritime jurisdiction in several of the States; military jurisdiction in the State of Washington; coverage on Indian Reservations in the State of Oregon; and information on where the plan documents for the various State plans may be inspected.