OSHA Announces Four New Emphasis Programs

OSHA Directives are written declarations of policy and practice on a single topic that often include implementation standards and accountability for the Agency’s offices. With that, there have been some newly added Emphasis Programs to the OSHA Directives that safety managers and business owners should be aware of:

National Emphasis Program (Nationwide – All Regions)

Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations NEP
- Focus on workplace hazards common to warehousing and distribution centers
- Primary focus (does not exclude other recognized herds) includes:
  - Forklifts and other powered industrial vehicles
  - Walking working surfaces
  - Means of egress
  - Fire protection
  - Heat/cold illness (also see OSHA Instruction – CPL 03-00-024 – National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards– 04/08/2022 – PDF )
  - Ergonomics
- Consider the following for each item above:
  - Training
  - Operations
  - Maintenance

Important Dates

NEP Signed: July 18, 2023

NEP Enforcement Starts: October 17, 2023

New Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD) Emphasis Programs

Wood Manufacturing and Processing Facilities REP
- Reduce the injury and death incident rate associated with the operation of woodworking machinery as well as reduction of health risk.
Scrap and Recycling Industries REP
- Focus on hazards associated with disassembly, breaking up, separating, processing, handling and wholesale distribution of scrap and recycled materials.
  - Fire/Explosion
  - Falls
  - Harmful substances
  - Caught in hazards
  - Struck by hazards
  - Machine/automation hazards
- Powered Industrial Vehicles REP
  - This REP has been updated to extend coverage to employers of all sizes and eliminate duplication of industries covered by the new Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations NEP.
  - Please take not of the PIV standards in OSHA 178 – Powered industrial trucks. | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)