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WMA Regulatory Affairs Update – April 2026

Spring Regulatory Affairs Update Roundup 

With the coming of spring, the buzz of regulatory activities has begun, from key takeaways from the NFRC Spring Membership Meeting to the latest regulatory changes at OSHA, as well as the launch of WMA’s new Legislative and Regulatory Tracker that let’s WMA members navigate and track the policy issues that matter most. 


WMA April 2026 regulatory affairs update, img of construction site with worker in safety gear

Here’s what WMA’s Regulatory Affairs department has been researching and involved with this past month: 


NFRC Update: 

The National Fenestration Rating Council’s (NFRC) 2026 Spring Committee Meeting was held virtually on March 17 where several program updates were provided. 


  • NFRC staff reported that the NFRC 7000 series program documents will be replacing the 700 Product Certification Program document as part of NFRC’s move toward ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation. They govern the simulation, testing, and product certification and labeling requirements for licensees in the program.

    • The NFRC 700 Product Certification Program document sunsets May 29, 2026.

    • Revisions to the 7000 series will go through public comment and a 90-day notice period.

  • During the Technical Committee session of the meeting, a request was made for a new task group to examine the requirements for modeling stile and rail-style doors. Though these doors are covered in ANSI/NFRC 100, the language is focused on panel-style doors so this task group will determine what, if any, language is needed in ANSI/NFRC 100, ANSI/NFRC 200, or the Simulation Manual, to conduct simulation modeling consistently and accurately. WMA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs and Standards Development will be part of this new task group.


OSHA Update:

  • Cal/OSHA Walkaround Rulemaking Coalition Kickoff Meeting - Conn Maciel Carey, LLP, (CMC) the law firm that presented OSHA updates to WMA members last year and focuses on Labor & Employment, Workplace Safety, and Litigation, provided an overview of Cal/OSHA’s proposed Walkaround Rule at their March 5th webinar.

    • The proposed regulation (8 CCR 331.8), which is supposed to mirror recent federal changes to the rule, does not per further analysis and scrutiny by CMC. Instead, it significantly broadens the criteria for who may accompany inspectors, redefines who may be considered an authorized representative of the employees, and lacks a specific definition for what is considered an employee representative.

    • According to CMC, the expanded access allowed under this proposed regulation presents several practical and legal risks for California employers. For more information on what this means for employers in California, see CMC’s February 23, Defense Report.

  • OSHA’s new Safety Champions Program – In March, OSHA introduced the Safety Champions Program (SCP), a cooperative program that is designed to meet businesses where they are with safety and health, and help them develop strong safety and health programs, lower injury rates, and prevent fatalities.

    • SCP offers three progressive steps—Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced—aligned with OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. Participants can implement the program independently or request support from a Special Government Employee (SGE). Upon successful completion of the Advanced step, participating employers will have a safety and health program that integrates all seven core elements and reflects a proactive approach to safety and health.

    • Details about the program and how to sign up are available at www.osha.gov/safety-champions. Questions can be emailed to the Safety Champions Coordinator at SafetyChampions@dol.gov.

  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend the Ladder Safety/Personal Fall Arrest Protection System Requirement – On April 6, OSHA proposed a rule to remove the November 18, 2036, deadline from its 2016 Walking-Working Surfaces standard by which all fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet above a lower level be equipped with personal fall arrest systems or ladder safety systems.

    • Additionally, OSHA is seeking public comment on repealing or revising the requirement that employers use personal fall arrest systems on all fixed ladders over 24 feet tall and instead permitting employers to continue to use ladder cages or wells.

      • As background, in July of last year, CMC submitted a Petition for Rulemaking to OSHA to amend the ladder safety/personal fall arrest protection system requirement in the Walking-Working Surfaces Standard to allow for the continued use of ladder cages or wells; this petition was approved December.

    • Comments and other information, including requests for a hearing, can be submitted electronically at https://www.regulations.gov/, identified by Docket No. OSHA-2025-0072, which is the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. All comments must be received on or before June 5, 2026.

  • WMA’s Regulatory and Legislative Tracker - This year, WMA purchased a software tool, known as GovHawk, to track legislative and regulatory issues impacting the millwork industry. This platform tracks federal and state bills, regulations, and statutes, offering features like AI-powered summaries, automated alerts, WMA custom reporting and anlaysist, and bill comparison.

    • On April 1, WMA launched this legislative tracking software to the WMA website for members-only viewing and access.

    • Members can now stay informed on the latest federal and state policy developments impacting the millwork industry, by using the interactive map to explore issues in real time by state or scrolling through the full report for a comprehensive view of current legislative and regulatory activity nationwide, including updates at the federal level.

    • Members can also click on any bill or proposed/final rule to access its full text and legislative history.

    • Reports can be downloaded in PDF, CSV, or Excel format for your reference.

  • ICC Public Comment Hearings – Coming up later this month are the International Code Council’s (ICC) Public Comments Hearings taking place April 19–23, 2026, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT, addressing both Group A (2024) and Group B (2025) proposed code changes. These hearings will determine final actions for the 2024-2027 code cycle for the 2027 edition of the I-Codes.

    • There are three proposed code changes to the International Residential Code (IRC) which was part of the Group B proposals that WMA has opposed and will be opposing again at these hearings:

      • RB113 – Section R318.2, Egress Door: Opening force requirement added and approved at CAH1 (first Committee Action Hearing), removed at CAH2 (second Committee Action Hearing), and being brought back again at the Public Comment Hearing (PCH).

      • RB115 – Section R318.2.1, Door Locking: new section requiring specific deadbolt door locks for entry doors in dwelling and sleeping units. Disapproved at CAH1 and CAH2, and being brought again at PCH.

      • RB304 – Appendix on Physical Security requirements for entrance doors.


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Contact:

Jessica Ferris

Director of Regulatory Affairs & Standards Development jferris@worldmillworkalliance.com

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