SAN DIEGO – HESIS, the Hazard Evaluation System and Information Service, can once again accept voice inquiries about workplace hazards from employees, employers and medical people. The Telephone Response System is back in service at 510-540-3014 with 24-hour-a-day voice mail. Later, humans will be answering the telephone during limited periods—but first they have to be …
SAN DIEGO – The headline on the press release from the Alameda County District Attorney’s office summed up the charges faced by Robert and Barbara McSkimming. It read: “Owner and employees of Oakland plating company charged with manslaughter, reckless handling of hazardous waste, payroll tax fraud, workers’ compensation insurance fraud and money laundering.” The DA’s …
SAN DIEGO – On July 29, the Cal-OSHA Mining and Tunneling Unit completed its inspection and investigation of the runaway locomotive accident in MTA tunnel #4 on March 11 and cited the joint venture for 20 violations of Title 8 safety orders. The proposed penalty is $302,625—only the second “jumbo” penalty ever issued by the …
SAN DIEGO – Policy & Procedure C-20, updated on June 27, 1994, is headed “Informal Conference.” It instructs Cal-OSHA field compliance staff to be sure that all citations they issue are stamped in red ink with the words “Informal Conference Available—Contact the Cal/OSHA District Office Listed on the Citation.” The district manager (DM) is the …
SAN FRANCISCO – At its first meeting on July 28, the new Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) elected Tom Rankin of the California Labor Federation as chairman. Christine Baker of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) was named interim executive officer. And the members decided to hold monthly meetings on Fridays. …
SAN FRANCISCO – We have just learned that we listed the wrong telephone number on Directory page 50-001. Under Health and Technical Services, Deputy Chief Frank Ciofalo’s department, the correct number for the Occupational Carcinogen Control Unit is 415-703-5301.
SAN FRANCISCO – This week, as a Safety Aid, we are reproducing the sample checklist for preventing late night violence in retail stores that Cal-OSHA Chief John Howard developed from a variety of sources. Please file the checklist, page 62-035, immediately following page 62-033 behind the SAFETY AIDS tab in your COR binder. This is …
SAN FRANCISCO – For the first time, a group of medium and smaller-sized businesses within the same industry may seek permission to self-insure for workers’ compensation rather than purchase coverage from a workers’ comp carrier. The change in California law is part of last year’s workers’ compensation reform package. Self-insured employers can, if the Department …