In a new Agency Rule List issued on July 3, 2026, the Department of Labor (DOL) provided updates on the status of proposed rulemaking activities across several agencies, including the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The regulatory agenda outlines the projected timelines for regulations in the pre-, proposed, and final rule stages.
In this blog, we highlight important regulatory updates involving three OSHA standards that employers should be monitoring.
- The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) [29 CFR 1910.147]: By November 2026, OSHA plans to publish a proposed rule (RIN: 1218-AD00) to modernize the Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Standard, which was originally published in 1989. According to the DOL, recent technological advancements that employ computer-based controls of hazardous energy conflict with the existing LOTO Standard, which specifically prohibits the use of push buttons, selector switches, and other control-circuit devices for energy isolation. The agency notes that modernizing the standard to better align with current technologies will improve safety effectiveness while also providing benefits such as increased operational efficiency and a reduced regulatory burden for employers. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) will be followed by a public comment period.
For more information on this regulation, please read our Lockout/Tagout: Are Your Employees Required to be Trained? blog.
- Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings [Proposed Rule]: By December 2026, OSHA plans to issue a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM, RIN: 1218-AD39), with a final standard expected in October 2027. Supplemental notices are published when a proposed rule has been substantially revised or when considerable time has elapsed since the original notice was published (in this case on August 30, 2024). According to OSHA, a standard specific to heat-related injury and illness prevention would more clearly set forth enforceable employer obligations and the measures necessary to effectively protect employees from hazardous heat.
Feel free to review our Proposed OSHA Rule to Protect Workers From Extreme Heat blog for additional details.
- Emergency Response [Proposed Rule]: By April 2027, OSHA expects to publish a final rule (RIN: 1218-AC91) on the Emergency Response Standard. The proposed rule was published in February 2024 with a formal comment period that ended in July. An informational public hearing was held in November and the post-hearing written comment period concluded in January 2025. The new regulation is intended to protect a broad range of employees who respond to emergencies as part of their regularly assigned duties. The new rule will replace the existing Fire Brigades Standard [29 CFR 1910.156], which provides protection specifically for industrial or private firefighters but not for other types of emergency responders, such as first aid and emergency medical services (EMS) providers and search and rescue personnel.
For further explanation of this anticipated ruling, check out our OSHA’s Emergency Response Proposed Rule: Will it Affect You? blog.
Regulatory changes are coming—will your organization be ready? Safety Partners can help you assess the impact of these changes, identify compliance gaps, and develop a plan to prepare your workforce and safety program. Contact us today to stay ahead of these new requirements.
This blog was written by Beth Graham, Director of Quality, Research, and Training at Safety Partners.
