Washington – A new OSHA rule will update several head protection standards to align them with modern consensus standards.

The direct final rule revises personal protective equipment sections for the construction, maritime and general industries to update references from the American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection’s 1986 consensus standard to its 2009 version.

Specifically, the rule will update references found in 1910.135(b)(1), 1915.155(b)(1), 1917.93(b)(1) and 1918.103(b)(1) to recognize the 2009 edition of ANSI Z89.1, and will amend 1926.6 and 1926.100 to permit compliance with ANSI Z89.1-1997, ANSI Z89.1-2003 or ANSI Z89.1-2009. The rule also will remove some references to earlier versions of the consensus standard.

The update is scheduled to go into effect Sept. 20 unless OSHA receives “significant adverse comment” by July 23. The final rule was published in the June 22 Federal Register concurrently with an identical proposed rule. If significant adverse comments are received, the agency will proceed with the proposed rule process in lieu of the final rule.