The future of Arizona’s workplace safety regulations is uncertain after OSHA said it would extend a public comment period in its ongoing case to strip the state of its authority to regulate workplace safety.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that Arizona’s local workplace safety authorities have failed to maintain adequate standards in the state for years, and as a result, OSHA is weighing whether to revoke the state’s ability to regulate its own safety standards.
OSHA, which is part of the Department of Labor, started the process of potentially stripping oversight authority back in April, which included opening a public comment period for people to voice their opinions on the matter. Last week, in an Aug. 10 statement], OSHA said it would extend the public comment period in the case for an additional 60 days, until Oct. 14.
OSHA was also tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing in the case on Aug. 16, but the event has been postponed indefinitely.
