The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) withdrew a proposal to require employers with 10 or more workers to record certain work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in their OSHA 300 Log. An OSHA 300 Log is a record of work-related injuries and illnesses that many employers are required to maintain. MSDs are defined by OSHA as disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs (e.g., carpal tunnel and rotator cuff syndrome, herniated spinal disc, low back pain, etc.), but do not include disorders caused by slips, trips, falls, motor-vehicle accidents or other similar accidents.

OSHA stated that the proposed rule would simply require employers to check a new MSD box on their OSHA 300 Log, and that employers are already required to report this information on the current form. The business community argued that it could be difficult to determine whether there is a MSD injury, whether it is job-related and how it should be addressed. The proposed rule could have exposed employers to lawsuits and OSHA penalties if they had misdiagnosed a problem or improperly recorded a MSD. OSHA intends to revisit its proposed rule, initially meeting with small-business representatives to discuss how an MSD injury recordkeeping log would impact these companies.

OSHA has now withdrawn two rules in response to an Executive Order issued by President Obama directing all federal agencies to review their regulations and eliminate rules that unnecessarily hinder economic growth. OSHA previously rescinded a proposed rule to require businesses to install soundproofing and make other workplace changes before relying on earplugs to comply with noise standards.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy recently released the 2010 edition of “The Small Business Economy,” which reviews the overall economic environment for small businesses through 2009. While the report outlines a challenging economic environment, there are also signs of improvement toward small-business growth. The report includes examples of small-business contributions to job creation and innovation; ongoing challenges to the small-business economy, such as health care and pension coverage; and insight into emerging opportunities for small-business owners. Also included in SBA’s analysis is the financial landscape for small business, including access to credit, financing and capital investment. For a copy of SBA’s report, click here. For SBA’s research summary, click here.

For more information about this report or SBA’s programs, please contact Dan Sadowski, congressional affairs manager at dans@sema.org.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy recently released the 2010 edition of “The Small Business Economy,” which reviews the overall economic environment for small businesses through 2009. While the report outlines a challenging economic environment, there are also signs of improvement toward small-business growth. The report includes examples of small-business contributions to job creation and innovation; ongoing challenges to the small-business economy, such as health care and pension coverage; and insight into emerging opportunities for small-business owners. Also included in SBA’s analysis is the financial landscape for small business, including access to credit, financing and capital investment. For a copy of SBA’s report, click here. For SBA’s research summary, click here.

For more information about this report or SBA’s programs, please contact Dan Sadowski, congressional affairs manager at dans@sema.org.

As a result of its promotion of the specialty-equipment industry on Capitol Hill, SEMA has been invited to join the House Small Business Committee’s influential “Manufacturing Working Group.” The Committee has jurisdiction over matters related to small-business financial aid, regulatory flexibility and paperwork reduction. It can also influence other House Committees with jurisdiction, such as recommending repeal of the costly 1099 reporting requirement in last year’s health care law. Additionally, the House Small Business Committee has oversight and legislative authority over the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its programs.

SEMA, along with other members of the select Manufacturing Working Group, will provide Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) with feedback and suggestions on manufacturing issues that are before Congress and have the potential to affect business owners. Committee staff is currently planning upcoming Working Group meetings with members of the Committee to discuss priorities for the coming year. SEMA’s membership in the prestigious group will continue through the 112th Congress, which ends in 2012.

For more information, please contact Dan Sadowski, congressional affairs manager, at dans@sema.org.

As a result of its promotion of the specialty-equipment industry on Capitol Hill, SEMA has been invited to join the House Small Business Committee’s influential “Manufacturing Working Group.” The Committee has jurisdiction over matters related to small-business financial aid, regulatory flexibility and paperwork reduction. It can also influence other House Committees with jurisdiction, such as recommending repeal of the costly 1099 reporting requirement in last year’s health care law. Additionally, the House Small Business Committee has oversight and legislative authority over the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its programs.

SEMA, along with other members of the select Manufacturing Working Group, will provide Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) with feedback and suggestions on manufacturing issues that are before Congress and have the potential to affect business owners. Committee staff is currently planning upcoming Working Group meetings with members of the Committee to discuss priorities for the coming year. SEMA’s membership in the prestigious group will continue through the 112th Congress, which ends in 2012.

For more information, please contact Dan Sadowski, congressional affairs manager, at dans@sema.org.

SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle titling and registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles has been introduced in the Washington State Legislature. The bill defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. Under the bill, kit cars and replica vehicles will be assigned a certificate of title bearing the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble. The measure also exempts street rods and customs from a range of standard equipment requirements (only that equipment required in the model year that the vehicle resembles) and emissions inspections.

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle titling and registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles has been introduced in the Washington State Legislature. The bill defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. Under the bill, kit cars and replica vehicles will be assigned a certificate of title bearing the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble. The measure also exempts street rods and customs from a range of standard equipment requirements (only that equipment required in the model year that the vehicle resembles) and emissions inspections.

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-model legislation has been reintroduced in Washington state to prohibit cities or towns from enforcing an ordinance, development regulation, zoning regulation or administrative practice that prevents automobile collectors from pursuing their hobby. Junked, wrecked or inoperable vehicles, including parts cars stored on private property, would only require screening from public view if required by local law.

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

SEMA-model legislation has been reintroduced in Washington state to prohibit cities or towns from enforcing an ordinance, development regulation, zoning regulation or administrative practice that prevents automobile collectors from pursuing their hobby. Junked, wrecked or inoperable vehicles, including parts cars stored on private property, would only require screening from public view if required by local law.

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

Legislation has been introduced in Connecticut to extend the emissions inspection exemption to vehicles five-model-years old or newer. Current law exempts vehicles that are four-model-years old or newer. The measure acknowledges that it is senseless to test newer vehicles, the results of which demonstrate no significant air-quality benefits. The idea behind exempting any class of vehicles is to reduce costs while not losing appreciable emissions reductions. This strategy builds support for emissions inspection programs, but also directs finite resources to where they will be most valuable in cleaning the air.

For more information, click here. For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.