OSHA Issues Compliance Directive
For New Steel Erection Standard

March 22 - The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued a compliance directive (CPL 2-1.34) for enforcing the new steel erection standard. The compliance directive goes into effect today, March 22. The new standard became effective Jan. 18.

OSHA issued a draft compliance directive in November 2001, and received more than 400 responses from approximately 70 stakeholders. The new directive assists compliance officers in enforcing the new steel erection standard. It contains a guide with inspection tips, definitions with photos, and a Question & Answer chapter. The directive addresses the standard's key provisions and the phase-in of some of its components. OSHA Administrator John Henshaw said the agency wants to "save lives and provide better protection for steel erection workers by directly addressing the hazards that have been identified as the major causes of injuries and fatalities in the industry."

The directive is available in PDF format at http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_2-1_34.pdf.