On Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it will withdraw its proposal to reconsider and revoke final approval of Arizona’s state plan for occupational safety and health. As a result, the state’s plan will remain in place.
OSHA’s proposal was originally published on April 21, 2022, sighting Arizona’s nearly decade-long failures to adopt adequate maximum penalty levels, occupational safety and health standards, National Emphasis Programs and the COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard.
On July 5, Arizona submitted a public comment to OSHA detailing its significant actions addressing OSHA’s concerns. These include adopting outstanding federal standards and directives, enacting state laws to ensure that Arizona’s future maximum and minimum penalty levels track with OSHA federal levels, and authorizing adoption of an emergency temporary standard when either OSHA or the Industrial Commission of Arizona determines that grave danger criteria are met.