Seyfarth Synopsis: In a win for labor, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals orders the remand of the Crystalline Silica Standard for Construction and General Industry (Silica Rule) for OSHA to explain its decision to omit medical removal protections.
In a decision this morning, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has remanded the Silica Rule to OSHA, holding that "OSHA was arbitrary and capricious in declining to require [medical removal protection] for some period when a medical professional recommends permanent removal, when a medical professional recommends temporary removal to alleviate COPD symptoms, and when a medical professional recommends temporary removal pending a specialist's determination." The Court remanded the Rule to OSHA to reconsider or further explain those aspects of the Rule. North America's Building Trades Unions v. OSHA, No. 16-1105 (December 22, 2017).
This is a win for labor that had fought to have the measures included in the new Rule. The Court rejected other challenges to the Rule raised by business and industry groups.
We have previously blogged about crystalline silica and this rulemaking, including OSHA Publishes "Small Entity Compliance" Guides for the Crystalline Silica Standards, OSHA Adopts 30-Day "Phase-In" of Enforcement of Crystalline Silica Standard for Construction, OSHA Proposes Silica Worker Exposure Hazards Rule, and New OSHA Hazard Safety Bulletin for the Hydraulic Fracturing Industries.
We will continue to keep readers updated as this issue progresses.
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