Blog Archives

Fatality Costly to Employers in Southern California Machine Guarding Case

The prosecution of a company principal from R.J. Noble Co., a California recycling company, ended in a “civil compromise” rather than a criminal trial. But the subsequent third-party civil suit was a $30 million whopper. The Riverside County District Attorney prosecuted Noble and an official, Robert Warren Lutz. Criminal charges were dropped against Lutz as … Read More »

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Tree Worker Electrocuted

Cal/OSHA is investigating the workplace fatality of a Southern California tree trimmer, the latest is a long series of deaths in tree work. The incident was in Camarillo involving an employee of Master Tree Services. The worker was trimming a palm tree when he came in contact with an energized power line. The Division of … Read More »

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Another Workplace Fatality Prosecution Complete with Conviction

Abraham Zafrani, a contractor from Encino, was prosecuted by Ventura County, charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and a second of violating California Labor Code §6425(a) after a fatal trench collapse near Malibu. Now he is convicted. Zafrani “was acting as an unlicensed contractor” at a private residence in unincorporated Ventura County. He directed … Read More »

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New California Safety & Health Legislation Riles Employers

New legislation in the California Assembly aims to “strengthen” occupational injury and illness reporting, provide protection to hotel housekeepers from guest assaults, and protect medical marijuana users from workplace bummers. But the bills, including AB2334, AB1761 and AB2069 are sure to draw the ire of employers and their representatives in the State House. Expect a … Read More »

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Penalties Increased Again

No sooner than the new dramatically raised employer penalties came into effect did Cal/OSHA move to raise them again. Regulators and enforcers believe fines and the publicity surrounding them is an effective deterrent. But is it? The Department of Industrial Relations increased Cal/OSHA penalties last year in response to changes mandated by the U.S. Congress … Read More »

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$300,000 Proposed Penalties

An Alhambra industrial employer faces almost $300,000 in Cal/OSHA penalties in a 2017 case that resulted in the double amputation of an employee’s legs. The agency cited Alhambra Foundry Co. for six alleged serious violations, including two characterized as willful. This case is the first instance of willful citations issued under the new Cal/OSHA maximum … Read More »

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Effective Date Set for Hotel Housekeeping Safety Standard

California’s Office of Administrative Law has given final approval to Cal/OSHA’s controversial new hotel housekeeping standard and set an effective date of July 1. The standard is designed, say mostly union advocates, to protect housekeepers from musculoskeletal disorders created by what advocates say is an ever-increasing workload from the so-called “bed race” – providing more … Read More »

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