What's the difference between a necessary government burden and an unnecessary one? Apparently, the folks at the U.S. Department of Labor know, because they just announced they were axing some unnecessarily burdensome ones.

To ease the reader's burden, let's cut to the chase.

First unburdening: A rule change from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration addresses standards for the use of mechanical power presses. To wit: "Workers can be exposed to hand, finger or arm injuries — often resulting in amputation — if parts of a press are worn, damaged or not operating properly. The new rule will eliminate a requirement for employers to document mandatory weekly inspections of these presses while clarifying the responsibility of employers to perform and document any maintenance or repairs necessary to protect the safety of workers who operate them. Removing the weekly inspection and test certifications will reduce 613,600 hours of unnecessary paperwork burden on employers."