After taking control of Congress in the 2006 election, Democrats
have taken aim at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) based on a belief that the agency is not aggressive
enough.
However, what began as quiet hearings in this Congress' first
session has escalated.
In April 2007, the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
and Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety held
hearings regarding OSHA's regulation of workplace hazards. Of
concern was diacetyl, a compound associated with a debilitating
lung condition that is used in butter flavoring for microwave
popcorn. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
petitioned OSHA for an emergency standard, but data is insufficient
to develop a permissible...
Log in or register for FREE access to this article and other Professional Roofing online content.