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The Region VI Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued an October 1st Regional Notice titled:

Regional Emphasis Program for Fertilizer Grade Ammonium Nitrate (FGAN) and Agricultural Anhydrous Ammonia Facilities (“Notice”)

Region VI encompasses the following states:

• Arkansas
• Louisiana
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Worksites in New Mexico that are under Federal Jurisdiction

OSHA states that the purpose of the Notice is to:

. . . establish a Regional Emphasis Program (REP) to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities related to workers’ exposures in fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate (FGAN) and agricultural anhydrous ammonia mixing/blending, storage, and distribution facilities.

Local emphasis programs such as the one referenced above are described by OSHA as “enforcement strategies designed and implemented at the Regional Office and/or area office levels intended to address hazards or industries that pose a particular risk to workers in the office’s jurisdiction.”

The Notice states that this Regional Emphasis Program will provide OSHA the authority to evaluate employers’ workplaces at all programmed, unprogrammed, or other limited-scope inspections pertaining to fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate and agricultural anhydrous ammonia operations to assure the employees are being properly protected.

The Notice includes topics such as:

• Purpose
• Scope
• References
• Cancellations
• Action
• Effective Dates
• Expiration
• Background
• Scheduling
• Inspection Procedures
• Program Elements
• Recording in OIS
• Evaluation and Measurement
• Outreach

A copy of the Notice can be found here.