What action may OSHA take in response to emerging health threats?

OSHA has the authority to create an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in response to emerging health threats. This action is particularly crucial during situations where there is a significant danger to workers that requires immediate attention and cannot wait for the lengthy process typically associated with the development of new safety regulations. The ETS allows OSHA to quickly implement regulations that address the specific threats, ensuring that protective measures are put in place to safeguard employees. This response demonstrates OSHA's commitment to worker safety and its ability to react promptly to evolving risks in the workplace environment.

Increasing inspection frequencies, reducing compliance deadlines, or eliminating workplace assessments do not directly address emerging threats in the same immediate and specific way that an Emergency Temporary Standard would. Thus, while those actions might have relevance in other contexts, they do not provide the same level of rapid and targeted response that an ETS does during urgent health crises.