NAHB drops OSHA lawsuit
Says it is satisfied with new guidance on confined spaces rule
The National Association of Home Builders has settled its lawsuit with OSHA over the agency’s confined spaces work rule.
The NAHB said Wednesday that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has made clear that the rule does not have wide applicability in the home-building industry.
"Since the final rule was published, NAHB has maintained that it was not only confusing, but also excessively burdensome on builders and trade contractors in the residential construction industry,” said association President Ed Brady, a builder from Bloomington, Illinois. “This settlement addresses many of our concerns and provides better clarity on how our industry is impacted by the rule.
"As part of the settlement, OSHA has published a detailed Q&A to explain how the rule applies to spaces such as attics, basements and crawl spaces in residential homes. The Q&A states that the vast majority of the rule's requirements only apply to permit-required confined spaces, and that these areas in a residential home will not typically trigger the confined spaces requirements," Brady added. "The Q&A document is a much needed addition that will give our members better guidance on how the rule impacts their businesses."
The government’s guidance can be found here.
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