Updated HCS Clears White House Review Amid Clash Over Data Mandate

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved OSHA’s final rule updating the hazard communication standard (HCS) that governs safety labels for toxic, flammable and otherwise dangerous chemicals, after employers and trade groups warned that the 2021 proposal would massively expand data-gathering requirements. OSHA’s HCS update completed OMB review late on April 8, clearing the agency to sign and publish the final rule at any time. Officials have given no public indication of when that might happen,...