At a glance – Regulatory frameworks and safety standards for energy, manufacturing, and transportation industries saw significant developments in the past 24 hours, with new mandates, amendments, and repeals announced across the United States, China, Europe, and beyond. These changes are poised to affect compliance strategies for companies operating in electrification, heavy industry, and global supply chains, as authorities focus on hazardous substances, emissions, and workplace safety training.
Technology advance – The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has released substantial revisions to two cornerstone safety standards, directly impacting industrial and energy sector training and hazardous energy control. The updated ANSI/ASSP Z490.1-2024 now mandates that safety, health, and environmental training programs incorporate both in-person and virtual modalities, reflecting the post-pandemic shift toward hybrid work environments. This standard emphasizes rigorous documentation and evaluation of training effectiveness, ensuring compliance with both internal policies and external regulatory requirements. Simultaneously, the revised ANSI/ASSP Z244.1-2024 standard strengthens requirements for the control of hazardous energy—commonly known as lockout/tagout—by expanding coverage to electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, chemical, and gravitational energy sources. These updates are expected to drive significant changes in safety protocols for manufacturers, utilities, and transportation infrastructure operators, demanding immediate attention from compliance officers and safety engineers.
Partnerships – In a move to harmonize global hazardous substance regulations, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has published the mandatory national standard GB 26572-2025, which aligns closely with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. Effective August 1, 2027, this standard consolidates previous Chinese requirements and introduces unified labeling and substance restrictions for electrical and electronic products. The update is part of a broader international trend, with the United Kingdom’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers also issuing new RoHS-aligned technical regulations in the past week. These developments underscore a growing international consensus on hazardous substance management, compelling multinational manufacturers and supply chain partners to accelerate compliance efforts and update product documentation, particularly for exports to China, the UK, and Central Asia.
Acquisitions/expansions – The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) has published an amendment to EN IEC 60384-14:2023/A1:2025, specifically targeting fixed capacitors used for electromagnetic interference suppression and connection to supply mains. This amendment, released on August 22, 2025, introduces new performance and safety benchmarks for electronic components critical to electrification and grid modernization projects. The update is expected to drive product redesigns and accelerated certification efforts among European and global capacitor manufacturers, as well as their downstream partners in the automotive, renewable energy, and industrial automation sectors. Companies such as Vishay Intertechnology and Murata Manufacturing, which supply capacitors to major OEMs, are anticipated to adjust their compliance roadmaps to meet the new requirements ahead of enforcement deadlines.
Regulatory/policy – In a dramatic policy reversal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed the repeal of several high-profile energy-related regulations enacted during the Biden-Harris administration. The proposed rule would rescind the 2024 amendments to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) for coal- and oil-fired electric generating units (EGUs), as well as the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants. The EPA argues that the 2024 amendments imposed excessive compliance costs without delivering commensurate public health benefits, citing a 90% reduction in mercury emissions from coal-fired plants since the original 2012 MATS rule. If finalized, this repeal would reinstate the earlier, less stringent standards, potentially reducing regulatory burdens for utilities and energy producers but raising concerns among environmental groups and state regulators about long-term air quality and emissions control.
Finance/business – Taiwan’s Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) has published an updated list of recognized EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) testing laboratories in foreign countries, effective August 6, 2025. This update is critical for global electronics manufacturers seeking market access in Taiwan, as it streamlines the certification process for products ranging from industrial control systems to electric vehicles and consumer electronics. The revised list is expected to accelerate time-to-market for compliant products and reduce costs associated with redundant testing, particularly benefiting multinational firms with established relationships in recognized labs. Meanwhile, the International Electrotechnical Commission’s CB Scheme has released version 2.5 of its compliance checklist and updated the IECEE Dashboard, further standardizing global safety and performance certification for electrical and electronic products. These changes are likely to influence investment decisions and supply chain strategies for companies targeting rapid expansion in Asia-Pacific and European markets.
Sources: ASSP, UL Solutions, Snell & Wilmer, CENELEC, Taiwan BSMI, International Electrotechnical Commission
