Blog Archives

Protests Over Changes Proposed for Multi-Employer – Citation Policy (Part 1)

SAN FRANCISCO – On June 24, a room full of employer representatives, including many safety directors for general contractors, objected to the probably-inevitable change in Cal-OSHA citation policy that is coming at Fed-OSHA’s insistence. (Without a change, there might be concurrent jurisdiction.) The only voice raised in support of the policy change was Mike Schneider’s. … Read More »

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P&P C-173 for Inspections of Alleged Rmis

OAKLAND – A trio of experts (Cal-OSHA Chief John Howard, M.D., industrial hygienist Steve Smith of the Cal-OSH Standards Board and counsel Len Welsh of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health) has been working on the draft Policy & Procedure for enforcement of the new ergonomics standard, General Industry 5110. Each revision has been … Read More »

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Window Cleaning Package Postponed

OAKLAND – The Cal-OSHA Standards Board has announced that it is postponing the public hearing set for July 17 on general industry sections relating to window cleaning, 3281, 3282, 3286 and new Appendix A, Controlled Descent Apparatus and Operating Procedures Outline Sheet. The board explained that the proposal was being returned to the advisory committee … Read More »

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Protests Over Changes Proposed for Multi-Employer – Citation Policy (Part 2)

SAN FRANCISCO – ONLY A FEDERAL INSTRUCTION: Bobis pointed out that there is no federal standard. It’s an OSHA instruction for enforcement purposes, so he challenged whether Cal-OSHA must comply. Mike Schneider praised the change in policy as a way to eliminate buck-passing. “Too many times (when he was at Cal-OSHA) we knew of generals … Read More »

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OSHA Cites Seven Contractors at Multi-Employer – Salvage and Demolition Site

SAN FRANCISCO – Fed-OSHA’s Pittsburgh area office on June 17 cited seven contractors for endangering about 60 workers from salvage companies by exposing them to asbestos and lead. The exposures came as items of value were being removed from the site of the former Greater Pittsburgh Airport terminal, which was scheduled for demolition. HDR Engineering, … Read More »

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Prop. 65/Hcs Hassle Continues

SAN FRANCISCO – James M. Talent, the chairman of the Committee on Small Business of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been meeting and corresponding with Gregory Watchman, the acting OSHA secretary. Talent is concerned about OSHA’s decision concerning approval of Cal-OSHA’s hazard communication standard with its inclusion of Proposition 65. (See NEWS p. 00-6689.) … Read More »

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Psm Effectiveness

SAN FRANCISCO – Training and personnel issues dominated Cal-OSHA staff’s review of process safety management and consultative effectiveness on June 11. There was general agreement that preventive, program-type inspections are better than finding blame after the fact. Training officer Jack Oudiz stressed the importance of performance-oriented PSM training and the need to seek the cooperation … Read More »

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Comments Sought on Exposure Limits for Fiberglass – & Cellulose Insulation

SAN FRANCISCO – When the advisory committee considering changes to exposure limits for airborne contaminants in 5155 meets on September 15 in San Francisco, it will consider exposure limits for fiberglass and cellulose insulation. Deliberation over limits for these materials is prompted by two petitions to the Cal-OSH Standards Board in 1994. The committee has … Read More »

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