Methylene Chloride; Partial Stay

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has received a motion for reconsideration of certain provisions of its standard regulating occupational exposure to methylene chloride, 62 FR 1494 (Jan. 10, 1997). The motion, filed jointly by the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, UAW; the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance, Inc., and others, requests, among other things, extensions of the current start- up dates for installation of engineering controls and use of respiratory protection for certain employers. It also requests an interim stay of those compliance dates pending OSHA's ruling on the motion for reconsideration. OSHA has preliminarily evaluated the motion for reconsideration and, based on that evaluation, finds good cause to grant in part the movants' request for an interim stay of the start-up dates. Accordingly, for those employers subject to the motion who would otherwise need to use respiratory protection or install engineering controls on or before April 10, 1998, OSHA is hereby delaying until August 31, 1998 the requirement to use respiratory protection to achieve the 8-hour TWA PEL, and to December 10, 1998 the requirement to achieve the 8-hour TWA PEL and the STEL through engineering controls.