Blog Archives

Major Fatality Cases – Safety Lessons & Big Penalties

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health and employers in three high-profile workplace fatality cases have reached settlement agreements. In one case, the company withdrew its appeal of the citations and will pay penalties. Two others negotiated their penalties down. Interestingly, two of the cases involved confined space issues. Here are the stories: Bumble Bee … Read More »

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Changes to Abatement Proposal

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has published revisions to its new rules on granting abatement credits for serious violations. Emergency rules are in place while the permanent language is in development. DOSH held a stakeholder meeting October 9 on the proposal, and based the modifications on those comments. The changes are mandated by … Read More »

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Board Denies Petition Requiring ‘Pundits’ Safety Management System

The Cal/OSH Standards Board has denied a petition from the CEO of a business solutions company seeking to require employers to use his safety system as part of Cal/OSHA regulations. Both the Division of Occupational Safety and Health and board staff recommended denying the petition. In fact, staff said it could not come to a … Read More »

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Standards Board Adopts Confined Space Rules for Construction – But More Talks are Anticipated

COSTA MESA – The Cal/OSH Standards Board adopted, without changes, a federal rule establishing a separate confined space standard for the construction industry. The action came at the board’s November 19 meeting in the Southland.  The will likely take effect soon, after it receives a final review from the state Office of Administrative Law. Because … Read More »

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Board Poised to Adopt Two New Revisions Spurred by Fed-OSHA

COSTA MESA – The Cal/OSH Standards Board could adopt two new regulatory revisions as soon as December after a November 19 public hearing at which there were no comments. The board has not received written comments on the proposals, either. Neither of them are major changes, but employers are still well advised to pay attention … Read More »

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Legislation on Latino Safety?

LOS ANGELES – Workplace fatalities among Latino workers decreased sharply in 2014 in California, but the overall trend for fatalities, injuries and illnesses has been rising. Assemblyman Roger Hernandez (D-Los Angeles), the chair of the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee, is determined to do something about those grim statistics, and legislative solutions are a distinct … Read More »

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NuStar’s Newest Safety Star

STOCKTON – Safety, stability, reliability and predictability might not sound sexy when it comes to an operational  philosophy, but it is the cornerstone of NuStar Energy’s way of doing things, and it’s paying dividends. The latest evidence is its Stockton terminal, which just celebrated its acceptance into Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program. It’s the third NuStar VPP … Read More »

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Free Speech Coalition: Adult Film Regulation is ‘Unworkable’

A trade association representing producers of adult films is blasting Cal/OSHA as the agency prepares to finalize its new standard for the industry. It accuses it of ignoring “clear and convincing evidence” that its method of preventing sexually transmitted disease is effective, and of bias on the part of the key official in crafting the … Read More »

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