OSHA to accelerate diacetyl rule making
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Apr 30 2009 at 5:28 AM
Diacetyl >>

DOL (Department of Labor) Secretary Hilda L. Solis has taken action to speed up regulation of occupational exposure to food flavorings containing the hazardous chemical diacetyl.

The action, pulling out of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), could take as much as 2 years off the timetable for setting a standard.

DOL said it wants to speed up OSHA’s development of a standard to protect workers from the disease bronchiolitis obliterans, also called “popcorn workers lung.” The disease is linked to diacetyl exposure. Diacetyl is a chemical additive used to give microwave popcorn and other snacks a buttery flavor.

Solis said she was alarmed that workers exposed to diacetyl-containing food flavorings are at risk of developing a potentially fatal lung disease.

“The exposure has been linked to the deaths of three workers,” she said.

Solis said it is vital that the labor department act rapidly to address exposure to diacetyl-containing food flavorings and get rid of needless steps without affecting the public’s ability to comment on the rulemaking process.

A jury had awarded $7.5 million last month to Ronald Kuiper, a former Sioux City microwave popcorn worker in a Diacetyl lawsuit against Givaudan. Unfortunately, the man had passed away one day prior to the ruling.

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