Blog Archives

Key Vote on Agricultural Transport Carriers; What Happens Next?

SACRAMENTO – The Cal/OSH Standards Board approved new rules that will allow agricultural employers to transport irrigation workers to remote fields through the use of carriers attached to tractors. The rules are controversial. All of this happens against a backdrop where some California growers are seeing crops go unpicked and rotting in the fields for … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

Meet the New Standards Board

The August 20 meeting of the Cal/OSH Standards Board saw the swearing in of two new members and four reappointed members.  Pictured is Department of Industrial Relations Director Christine Baker (far right) administering the oath of office to the new and reappointed members, including, from left, John Sacco (the new management representative), chair and labor … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

Work to Continue on Standards Board’s ‘Adequate Design’ Proposal

A Standards Board proposal to fix a defective safety order that led to a serious violation being dismissed at the appeals level is itself inadequate according to stakeholders. The stakeholders suggested language, which they said, would fix the underlying problem while avoiding unintended consequences for employers. Board staff published the proposal after an Appeals Board … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

Anti-Bullying Bill Incompatible With Cal/OSHA’s Role

Bullying is a real problem in the workplace, both the Division of Occupational Safety and Health and Standards Board staff acknowledge, but the remedy suggested by a petitioner is “incompatible” with Cal/OSHA’s mission. With that, the board denied Robert Junger’s petition asking Cal/OSHA to adopt a workplace bullying prevention standard.  He suggested one similar to … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

DOSH Rules: Making the New Abatement Credit Permanent

Just days after filing an extension of its emergency regulation on abatement credits for Title 8 violations, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health has moved to make the new rules permanent. The action is within the comment period that ends October 9 with a public hearing in Oakland. Last year’s AB 1634 mandates the … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

Standards Board Forms Committee on Firefighters’ PPE

Earlier this year, the Cal/OSH Standards Board adopted revisions on turnout boots for firefighters but was forced to limit the action to apply only to private fire brigades. It was concerned about running afoul of legal precedence holding that local fire districts do not have to comply with reimbursable state mandates. An act of the … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

Cal/OSHA’s Fall Protection Has Varying Trigger Heights

Cal-OSHA Reporter recently covered an upcoming meeting between Fed-OSHA, Cal/OSHA and California stakeholders and whether the state’s fall protection standards are as effective as federal rules. We had some great feedback, which we are delighted to pass along. We reported that the Feds are suggesting that California should adopt the federal uniform trigger height of … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »

Will Cal/OSHA Issue More Repeat Violations?

In a move that one safety manager calls a potential “game changer” for employers with multiple sites within California, the Department of Industrial Relations has published a proposal to revise its regulation on repeat violations. Under the revision, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health could consider an employer’s statewide violation history, instead of by … Read More »

This content is only available to premium subscribers. Please login here log in

Read More »