Blog Archives

Cal/OSHA Appeals Board Overturns ALJ – Reinstates Indoor Heat Illness Charges

In a case of significance to employers with workers potentially exposed to indoor heat illness, the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board has overturned a decision by one of its administrative law judges. It reinstated serious violations and sizable penalties against two employers in a combined case. The Decision After Reconsideration affirms the ability of the Division of … Read More »

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9 Workers Hurt in SoCal Overpass Collapse; Fatalities Investigated

Nine construction workers were injured, three critically, on a freeway overpass project in Corona when a section being lowered into place suddenly collapsed. Work was halted on the State Highway 91 project while safety procedures were being assessed. The workers were under a bridge deck while a section was being lowered and were engaged in … Read More »

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Lead Standards Changes to be Discussed at November Confab

How close is Cal/OSHA to formal proposals on updating its decades-old lead standards? Stakeholders will learn that on November 10 when the Division of Occupational Safety and Health convenes a meeting to unveil the latest drafts. The Division is seeking to revise the standards – General Industry Safety Orders §5198 and Construction Safety Orders §1532.1 … Read More »

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Governor Signs Refinery Turnaround Bill; Nixes Variance Measure

There hasn’t been much occupational safety and health legislation in California this year. But one interesting bill approved by Gov. Jerry Brown is SB 421, cleanup legislation following last year’s SB 1300. The governor vetoed a bill that would have required employers to notify employees about Cal/OSHA variance requests – and make failure to do so … Read More »

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NIOSH Duplicates Cal/OSHA Lessons from Golf Course Death

Jose Juan Vallejo died an inglorious death on September 16, 2014. He drowned in a tangle of aquatic weeds eight feet below the surface of a golf course pond while working to “lasso” the plants for clearing. Worse, some of his relatives were co-workers, and they watched as he fell out of the small boat … Read More »

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Stakeholders React to Cal/OSHA Proposal on Repeat Violations

Employer groups fear that proposed changes to Cal/OSHA’s policy on issuing repeat violations could lead to “punitive actions” against responsible employers and could unfairly target family farms. Meanwhile, labor advocates say the proposal actually could weaken the repeat policy and could allow employers with similar violations escape responsibility. Those are some of the sentiments from … Read More »

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Six California Workers Killed

The latest California workplace fatalities include two falls, an excavator incident, a death by burns, a crushing incident, a and possible natural causes incident. The incidents happened in late September and early October. The falls were in Long Beach and San Fernando. The former was to a 48-year-old employee of Instant Sign and Banner. He … Read More »

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Cal/OSHA Seeks Rule Changes on Saw Guarding, Conveyor Signs

Is the Cal/OSHA regulation on guarding for portable circular saws inadequate? The Standards Board believes one element is missing that makes the rule not as effective as its federal counterpart and is moving to correct that as soon as possible. The first step is a public hearing on its proposal in November. The board will … Read More »

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