The Agriculture Retailers Association is challenging OSHA in federal court for its plan to do away with the agriculture retailer exemption from a safety management standard that deals with handling of dangerous chemicals. ARA’s Public Policy Counsel Kyle Liske says his group doesn’t feel OSHA followed proper administrative procedures when they did away with the exemption effecting anhydrous ammonia.
He says ARA wants OSHA to go through a rule making process before they’re rescind the exemption.
Liske says OSHA has pointed to a Texas chemical plant explosion three years ago for their reason for getting rid of the ag retailers exemption. He says anhydrous wasn’t even the main culprit in that Texas incident.
Liske says his group’s attorneys along with OSHA’s have already filed briefs in the case and are awaiting a Judge’s decision. He says both sides chose to forego making oral arguments.
