Blog Archives

6 Workers Killed Last Week

  Six California workers have died recently. Two suffered fatal falls, two in equipment-related accidents and two others. Cal/OSHA is investigating all the fatalities. It is also investigating a non-fatal carbon monoxide case. The two falls were in opposite ends of the state. In the Sonoma County town of Sebastopol, a worker for North Bay … Read More »

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Two Horcher Revisions in Construction and Ship Building Effective Immediately

California’s Office of Administrative Law has given final approval to two Title 8 revisions adopted in July by the Cal/OSH Standards Board. The provisions were adopted under the state’s Horcher rule, meaning they become effective as soon as OAL approves them. Horcher rules are virtually verbatim versions of Fed-OSHA standards. In this case, both are … Read More »

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PUC Will Investigate PG&E’s Continuing ‘Safety-Related Issues’

The 2010 inferno in San Bruno from a leaking gas line focused a harsh light on Pacific Gas & Electric Co.’s consumer safety issues. Now, the California Public Utility Commission – which itself has come under criticism for an allegedly cozy relationship with PG&E – has voted to investigate the utility’s entire safety program. PG&E … Read More »

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Confined Spaces in Construction: Anything New in This Proposal?

Construction employers whose employees must enter confined spaces have for years been using current Cal/OSHA regulations in the General Industry Safety Orders to protect those employees. Now, under a proposal by the Standards Board, the construction industry would have a confined space standard of its own. The proposal is in a comment period that culminates … Read More »

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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 »

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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 »

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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 »

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