OSHA Attacks 2nd Amend. by proposed regulations on ammunition

[badsnakeii]

![NOTE THIS IS COPPIED FROM ANOTHER FORUM, BUT ITS CRITICAL]!

Dear Friends,

We received the following alert from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (www.nssf.org) today. This does not appear to be the usual legislative attack on the 2nd Amendment, but rather a regulatory proposal that may be an even greater threat to the future of our sport. We urge you to:

1) spread word of this proposal to your members,
2) express your opinion of the regulation to OSHA (especially important if you have a firearms related business) using the letter provided (Click here) or one of your own devising, and
3) contact your congressman to insure that they are aware of OSHAâ??s proposal and your position on that proposal

Please share any responses you may receive from OSHA or your representatives with us.

Thank you for your work.

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Proposed OSHA Regulation Threatens
Firearm and Ammunition Industry
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the government agency charged with assuring the safety and health of America's workers, is proposing a regulatory rule affecting the manufacturing, transportation and storage of small arms ammunition, primers and smokeless propellants.
As written, the proposed rule would force the closure of nearly all ammunition manufacturers and force the cost of small arms ammunition to skyrocket beyond what the market could bearâ??essentially collapsing our industry. This is not an exaggeration. The cost to comply with the proposed rule for the ammunition industry, including manufacturer, wholesale distributors and retailers, will be massive and easily exceed $100 million. For example, ammunition and smokeless propellant manufacturers would have to shut down and evacuate a factory when a thunderstorm approached and customers would not be allowed within 50 feet of any ammunition (displayed or otherwise stored) without first being searched for matches or lighters.
NSSF and SAAMI have already had a preliminary meeting with OSHA officials to begin the process of explaining to them the major problems this proposed rule presents for all levels of the firearms and ammunition industry. Furthermore, NSSF and SAAMI are each seeking a 60 day extension of the public comment period (currently scheduled to expire July 12).
NSSF is urging all retailers to contact OSHA directly and request a 60-day extension of the public comment period. Retailers should inform OSHA that the proposed rule constitutes a "significant regulatory action" as defined in Executive Order 12866 (1993) Section 3(f)(1) in that it will clearly "adversely affect in a material way" the retail sector of the firearms and ammunition industry, productivity, competition and jobs and that the annual compliance cost for all retailers of ammunition will far exceed $100 million dollars.
Click here for a template letter. If you choose to draft your own letter, the reference line must read as follows:
RE: Docket No. OSHAâ??2007â??0032
Request to Extend Public Comment Period and Request for Hearing on
"Significant Regulatory Action" as Defined in Executive Order 12866
Please fax the letter to: 202-693-1648 (include the docket number and Department of Labor/OSHA on the cover sheet and in the reference section of your letter).
Please e-mail the letter by visiting: http://www.regulations.gov and following the submission instructions.
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NRA-ILA has it too...sample letter at the end...

Proposed â??Safetyâ?� Regulations Would Dry Up Ammunition Sales

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed new rules that would have a dramatic effect on the storage and transportation of ammunition and handloading components such as primers or black and smokeless powder. The proposed rule indiscriminately treats ammunition, powder and primers as â??explosives.â?� Among many other provisions, the proposed rule would:
Prohibit possession of firearms in commercial â??facilities containing explosivesâ?�â??an obvious problem for your local gun store.
Require evacuation of all â??facilities containing explosivesâ?�â??even your local Wal-Martâ??during any electrical storm.
Prohibit smoking within 50 feet of â??facilities containing explosives.â?�
Itâ??s important to remember this is only a proposed rule right now, so thereâ??s still time for concerned citizens to speak out before OSHA issues its final rule. The National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturersâ?? Institute will all be commenting on these proposed regulations, based on the severe effect these regulations (if finalized) would have on the availability of ammunition and reloading supplies to safe and responsible shooters.

The public comment period ends July 12. To file your own comment, or to learn more about the OSHA proposal, click here or go to http://www.regulations.gov/ and search for Docket Number OSHA-2007-0032â?�; you can read OSHAâ??s proposal and learn how to submit comments electronically, or by fax or mail.

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[Sample Letter]

OSHA Docket Office Docket No. OSHA-2007-0032 U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625 200 Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20210

Re.: Docket No. OSHA-2007-0032 (Explosivesâ??Proposed Rule)

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing in strong opposition to OSHAâ??s proposed rules on â??explosives,â?� which go far beyond regulating true explosives. These proposed rules would impose severe restrictions on the transportation and storage of small arms ammunitionâ??both complete cartridges and handloading components such as black and smokeless powder, primers, and percussion caps. These restrictions go far beyond existing transportation and fire protection regulations.

As a person who uses ammunition and components, I am very concerned that these regulations will have a serious effect on my ability to obtain these products. OSHAâ??s proposed rules would impose restrictions that very few gun stores, sporting goods stores, or ammunition dealers could comply with. (Prohibiting firearms in stores that sell ammunition, for example, is absurdâ??but would be required under the proposed rule.)

The proposed transportation regulations would also affect shootersâ?? ability to buy these components by mail or online, because shipping companies would also have great difficulty complying with the proposed rules.

There is absolutely no evidence of any new safety hazard from storage or transportation of small arms ammunition or components that would justify these new rules. I also understand that organizations with expertise in this field, such as the National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturersâ?? Association, will be submitting detailed comments on this issue. I hope OSHA will listen to these organizationsâ?? comments as the agency develops a final rule on this issue.

Sincerely,

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Spread the word FAST, there is only a few days to post comments.

[John F.]

This is indeed very serious! We only have until the 12th to get our comments in. It almost slid by without anyone's noticing. Please let all your friends know, and encourage them to take action ASAP!

Thanks,
John

[stefanosg]

I uploaded a copy of the template letter to my site. Here is a link for it.
http://www.k-a.net/forum/OSHA.rtf

[Ron Smith]

I'm curious to know if this will include Gas Stations, Truck Stops, any place that sells or distributes Nitrogen Fertilizer , etc.?

These are â??facilities containing explosives.â?�

[stefanosg]

Well, how about the gasoline then. I live in Florida and I just cannot see evacuating one everytime a thunderstorm happens by. In the summer, thats damn near everyday!

[Steinar]

Don't want to have any opinions about this.. but it brought out a little memory from my time in green.

My troop at the time where at the shooting range mid winter. During the lunch brake, it was common to light a fire with the cardboard containers wich our ammunition came in. About 50 of us where warming ourself around the fire, when suddenly some hefty bangs came from it. Somehow, a cardboard containing one hundred 7.62 (30.06) Nato rounds where placed into the fire. Within seconds, all of them went off.
Many of us got fragments on our pants, but non of them penetrated the fabric. We just left the fire to burn out and continued where we left, as no one got hurt by it. Strangely enough, most of the rounds still had their bullet in them. It was mostly the casings that where torn apart. However, a big bag of black powder would probably be a totally different cup of tee.