7 OSHA Topics Under Review: OSHA Schedules Public Hearings

On June 3, 2026, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it will hold a series of informal public hearings starting on August 19, 2026, to gather stakeholder input on several proposed regulatory changes affecting workplace safety and health requirements.

The hearings are part of OSHA’s ongoing review of existing regulations and will cover multiple proposed rulemakings that were published in 2025 and 2026.

Topics scheduled for discussion include:

1. Respiratory protection requirements
2. Medical evaluations for certain respirator users
3. Substance-specific standards (e.g., asbestos, benzene, vinyl chloride, and 1,3-butadiene)
4. Safety color codes
5. Textile industry standards
6. Sawmill standards
7. Walking-working surfaces requirements

According to OSHA, many of the proposed changes are intended to remove outdated provisions, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, and improve consistency among existing standards. These hearings provide an opportunity for employers, organizations, industry groups, and safety professionals to comment on the potential impacts of the proposed changes.

Potential Impacts

If finalized, some of the proposed changes could reduce administrative burdens for employers, particularly those related to medical evaluations for certain respirator users. Other proposals would revise substance-specific standards to better align with OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard and remove or update requirements that OSHA considers outdated. Employers should continue complying with all current OSHA requirements unless and until final rules are published and become effective.

Employers and organizations affected by these requirements should consider attending the hearings or submitting comments. Public participation is one of the most effective ways to provide feedback on proposed regulatory changes before they become final.

What Employers Should Know

Safety professionals should monitor these proceedings and evaluate whether any of the proposed changes could affect their operations. Employers with respiratory protection programs, chemical management programs, or industry-specific OSHA compliance obligations may want to review the proposals and consider participating in the public comment process.

Walden encourages stakeholders to be proactive before the proposed changes are finalized. Staying informed allows industries to prepare for potential future compliance obligations, evaluate how proposed changes may affect existing operations, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency while maintaining worker protection.

Looking Ahead

OSHA’s public hearings are scheduled to begin on August 19, 2026. Following the hearings, OSHA will review stakeholder feedback before determining whether to proceed with final rulemaking. You can read the full federal register notice here.

Walden will continue monitoring developments and provide updates as additional information becomes available. Contact our Environmental Health and Safety specialists at 860-846-4069 to go over any questions that you have about the proposed changes.