A new water infrastructure law and an agreement from OSHA on non-HEPA sweepers highlight recent policy victories for the metalcasting industry.
A comprehensive infrastructure bill backed by AFS won resounding support from Congress. America’s Water Infrastructure Act (S. 3021) provides more than $6 billion in funding for civil works projects nationwide, as well as important improvements for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
The bipartisan measure was signed into law by President Donald Trump in October.
AFS actively supported an extension of the bill’s “Buy American” provision through FY2023, requiring all iron and steel used in water infrastructure projects be American-made when funded by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Additionally, investing in infrastructure was one of the priority issues the society advocated for throughout the 115th Congress, and by AFS members at the 2018 AFS Government Affairs Fly-In in Washington, D.C.
“This bill is good for our infrastructure, good for jobs and good for U.S. metalcasters producing castings for these vital infrastructure and water projects,” AFS CEO Doug Kurkul said.
OSHA provided clarity on its crystalline silica rule when it stated in early October that it will allow the use of industrial sweepers not equipped with HEPA filters as long as employers follow other applicable requirements in the standard and maintain equipment in accordance with manufacturer recommendations. It is expected that OSHA also will encourage employers who are purchasing new industrial sweepers to buy sweepers equipped with HEPA filters.
For months, AFS and its attorney were in conversations with OSHA staff and attorneys to clarify the types of sweepers acceptable under the silica rule.