SAN FRANCISCO – There are two ways to get a change in a safety standard, or seek a new standard. Anyone can petition the Cal-OSH Standards Board, which upon submission must consider the petition or proposal and issue a decision within six months. If the decision is favorable, the matter is referred to a representative …
SAN DIEGO – People who went to Fed-OSHA’s best practices in ergonomics conference on March 3 came away with some good ideas as well as, along with other goodies, the Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Providers that Cal-OSHA Consultation has produced. Among the 300 attendees were many safety managers and safety directors. The …
SAN DIEGO – Two epidemiologists at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have found that African American men had the highest fatality rate of any group of North Carolina workers in the years from 1977 to 1991. The principal causes of death were the same for both whites and blacks, although the occupational structure in …
SAN DIEGO – Federal law currently requires employers only to have enough bathrooms, not to allow workers to use them. That is to change this sprint, when Fed-OSHA will issue its first explicit directive requiring bathroom access. “When I first heard about this problem, I was horrified to learn that employers can get away with …
SAN DIEGO – American Risk Consultants Corp. has recently changed its name to Global Risk Consultants Corp., reflecting the opening of new offices in Brazil and France. The Oakland, Ca, office has an immediate opening for a senior industrial hygienist. Interest parties may send their rsum to Dale Koprinik, managing consultant at GRCC, 520 Third …
SAN FRANCISCO – Cal-OSHA Regional Manager William Krycia made the opening remarks at the fourth annual AgSafe Conference March 5 in Visalia. He said under-reporting of injuries and illnesses is a serious problem in the agricultural community. He highlighted three Title 8 safety orders that are frequently cited by Cal-OSHA. The Injury and Illness Prevention …
SAN FRANCISCO – The Targeted Industries Partnership Program (TIPP)), in which Cal-OSHA participates, initially concentrated on labor law violations in agriculture and the garment industry. This year, Labor Commissioner Jose Millan has added the restaurant and construction industries. His Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, in cooperation with other agencies, has undertaken outreach efforts to provide …
SAN DIEGO – Recently, Assistant Secretary of Labor Charles Jeffress announced the department’s support for two occupational safety and health bills introduced by Congressman Cass Ballenger. The first would codify Fed-OSHA’s consultation program, which is one of OSHA’s most-requested services. The second would prohibit use of citation or penalty quotas. Jeffress said that President Clinton …