Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) signed a letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) asking the agency to rescind its reinterpretation of the Process Safety Management (PSM) program that could put a strain on small and medium sized fertilizer facilities.
"I recently met with constituents at Effingham Equity who voiced their concern about the burden the application of these regulations would put on their fertilizer and chemical business," Shimkus said.
Without a delay, small and medium sized fertilizer facilities would be required to comply with the new standards within six months.
"Everyone supports safety, but these local facilities are already regulated by not only OSHA, but the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Homeland Security," Shimkus added. "Holding these facilities to the same requirements as major chemical plants within six months is unrealistic. I've asked OSHA to roll back their decision and work with the industry to find a way to ensure safety without threatening our local agricultural businesses."