Rulemaking Actions

Occupational Safety and Health Division  

General Industry Standards - 13 NCAC 07F .0101

Effective January 1, 2025, the Department of Labor has adopted the federal OSHA amendment to the Hazard Communication standard found in 13 NCAC 07F .0101.  The amendment incorporated a recent federal OSHA amendment that was made to the General Industry Hazard Communication Standard ("HCS"), at 29 CFR 1910.1200; the purpose of the amendment was to conform the existing Hazard Communication Standard to the 7th revision of the United Nations' Globally Harmonizing System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals to address issues that arose during the implementation of the 2012 update to the HCS and provide better alignment with the other U.S. agencies and international trading partners, while enhancing the effectiveness of the HCS.  Federal OSHA determined that the revisions to the HCS would enhance the HCS effectiveness by ensuring employees are appropriately apprised of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed thus reducing the incidence of occupational illnesses and injuries.  The modifications to the standard include revised criteria for classification of certain health and physical hazards, revised provisions for updating labels, new labeling provisions for small containers, new provision related to trade secrets, technical amendments related to the contests of safety data sheets, and related revisions to definitions of terms used in the HCS.

Public notice was given on this website and was also published in the NC Register, Volume 39, Issue 05, on September 3, 2024.  A Public Hearing was held on September 19, 2024.

OSH Issuance of Citations and Penalty Modifications

Effective July 1, 2025, North Carolina minimum and maximum civil penalties associated with occupational safety and health standard violations will increase. These annual penalty adjustments shall be made in accordance with the United States Consumer Price Index published by the United States Department of Labor. 

Notice of Increase of OSH Penalties effective 7/1/2025

Boiler and Pressure Vessel Bureau

The Rules Commission recently approved amendments to the following rules of the Boiler and Pressure Vessels Safety Bureau, with an effective date of November 1, 2024

• 13 NCAC 13.0101 - Definitions
• 13 NCAC 13.0103 - Incorporated Standards
• 13 NCAC 13.0202 - Inspector Qualifications
• 13 NCAC 13.0203 - North Carolina Commission
• 13 NCAC 13.0207 - Inspection Reports
• 13 NCAC 13.0208 - Insurance Companies to Notify Chief Inspector
• 13 NCAC 13.0210 - Shop Inspections and National Board "R" Certificate Qualification Reviews
• 13 NCAC 13.0211 - Certificate Inspections
• 13 NCAC 13.0213 - Certificate and Inspection Fees
• 13 NCAC 13.0214 - Extended Pressure Equipment Operating Certificates
• 13 NCAC 13.0301 - Inspection Documentation
• 13 NCAC 13.0302 - Certificate Issuance
• 13 NCAC 13.0303 - Inspections Revealing Deficiencies
• 13 NCAC 13.0304 - Appeals
• 13 NCAC 13.0305 - Menace to Public Safety
• 13 NCAC 13.0401 - Design and Construction Standards
• 13 NCAC 13.0405 - Pressure Relief Devices
• 13 NCAC 13.0409 - Automatic Low-Water Fuel Cutoff Controls and Water-Feeding Devices.
• 13 NCAC 13.0411 - Valves, Drains, and Bottom Blowoffs
• 13 NCAC 13.0413 - Clearances
• 13 NCAC 13.0420 - Firing Mechanism Controls
• 13 NCAC 13.0421 - North Carolina Special
• 13 NCAC 13.0422 - Exhibition Boilers
• 13 NCAC 13.0423 - Model Hobby Boilers 

The amendments corrected existing rules, updated terminology, and to harmonized the rules with statutory amendments made pursuant to Senate Bill 542, ratified May 23, 2024 as Session Law 2024-3:https://ncleg.gov/Sessions/2023/Bills/Senate/PDF/S54v5.pdf