SAN FRANCISCO – SMOKING STILL PROHIBITED: On January 8, a San Francisco judge, after hearing the plea of Artichoke Joe’s club, held that the Cal-OSH Standards Board had no duty to promulgate a standard that would permit smoking to continue in taverns and gaming clubs. ERGONOMICS STILL UNSETTLED: But the pushing and shoving over the …
SAN FRANCISCO – Cal-OSHA-as if it did not have enough investigations under way-is investigating two deaths in December at construction sites that were buffeted by gale-force winds. On December 10, while he was collecting formwork at a freeway connector under construction in Irvine, Michael Lee Ray was struck in the head and killed instantly by …
SAN FRANCISCO – Authorities who were summoned to Van Essen Egg Ranch in Ontario because of a deadly fire discovered workers living on site under appalling conditions. Late last year, owners James and Sue Hou of Taiwan were arrested on two federal charges of harboring undocumented immigrant workers. Both Cal-OSHA and federal investigators went to …
SAN FRANCISCO – The Los Angeles County grand jury is conducting a criminal investigation into the death early last year of subway construction worker Jaime Pasillas. Pasillas, employed by Tutor-Saliba-Perini, was killed when a chain being used to hold more than two tons of construction debris snapped and crushed his head. The Metro Rail contractor …
SAN FRANCISCO – These are the states and territories with their own occupational safety and health plans: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Washington and Wyoming. Connecticut and New York have plans that cover public …
SAN FRANCISCO – Fed-OSHA has acceded to a request filed jointly by the United Auto Workers and the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance by extending the current start-up dates for respiratory protection and engineering controls. Under the terms of the partial stay of the methylene chloride standard, employers will have until August 31, 1998, to achieve …
SAN FRANCISCO – The national advisory committee that is developing acute exposure guideline levels for hazardous substances (NAC/AEGL Committee) met in December to address aspects of Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) for the following six chemicals: arsenous trichloride, carbon tetrachloride, hydrogen cyanide, methyltrichlorosilane, phosgene, and trimethylchlorosilane. For a more complete list of chemicals the committee …
SAN FRANCISCO – Four important subjects will be covered January 22, when the San Francisco chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) presents a day-long professional development seminar at the San Ramon Marriott. Topics are implementation of a zero injury program; Cal-OSHA’s new voluntary protection program; ways to prepare for unexpected workplace violence; …