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November 31, 2008

Labor Department Pushes Rule Change on Toxic Substances in Workplace
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The New York Times reports the Labor Department is racing to complete a
new rule that would make it much harder for the government to regulate
toxic substances and hazardous chemicals to which workers are exposed on
the job. The proposal would, in many cases, add a step to the lengthy
process of developing standards to protect workers’ health. Public
health officials and labor unions said the rule would delay needed
protections for workers, resulting in additional deaths and illnesses.
The rule change has been strenously opposed by President-Elect Barack
Obama. The Labor Department proposal is one of about 20 highly
contentious rules the Bush administration is planning to issue in its
final weeks.



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