Blog Archives

Keeping Your Finger on Hazardous Energy Control

Incidents involving failure to properly observe hazardous energy control procedures, as well as lack of machine guarding, are a constant source of injury incidents. Those are followed by citations, and often, hefty, proposed penalties. Recent enforcement actions by Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health bear out this trend and underscore the need to pay … Read More »

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How Leading Indicators Can Prevent Fatalities and Serious Injuries

According to the National Safety Council, total recordable injury rates have decreased more rapidly than work-related fatalities for the past 30 years, leading to “a new approach to serious injury and fatality (SIF) prevention.” This approach focuses on “precursors” to these most serious events. NSC’s Campbell Institute recently issued a white paper on leading indicators … Read More »

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Workplace Fatality Update – Apr 22, 2022

There is one new workplace fatality from recent days. In Los Angeles, an employee of Elliott Drinkward Construction fell from a portable ladder, dying from the injuries at a hospital. Falls are one of the most common fatality sources. The safety and health community will observe its annual national fall prevention stand-down from May 2-6. … Read More »

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‘Equitable Tolling’ Now Part of Cal/OSHA Appeals Process

The first test case for applying the principle of “equitable tolling” to Cal/OSHA citation cases saw a trial court reject an employer’s arguments, upholding a serious machine-guarding violation. But attorneys representing employers say the principle could prove a lifeline to cases – both to employers and to Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. That … Read More »

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Report: Amazon an Injury Machine

Employees at Amazon warehouses across the country suffered nearly 40,000 injuries in 2021, with a “serious” rate more than double that of other warehouses, according to a new report. The injuries are due to “Amazon’s obsession with speed,” according to “The Injury Machine,” produced by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC), a coalition of four labor … Read More »

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Serious Cases Settled

The Cal/OSHA Appeals Board recently approved settlements in dozens of cases, including fatalities and serious injuries. All injury cases, and fatalities in particular, contribute to high workers’ comp costs for the specific employer. Here’s how they were resolved. Fatalities In the case of Moorpark’s Wall Constructors, the employer will pay about half of a proposed … Read More »

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Workplace Fatality Update – Apr 15, 2022

There are two workplace fatalities to report. In Walnut Creek, an employee of Labor Max Staffing was struck by and killed by a gravel truck during a road project. In Sherman Oaks, a tree trimmer was discovered hanging upside down from a tree and deceased. His employer has not been identified and the cause of … Read More »

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