An inadequately sized roller on a plastic bag extrusion machine coupled with the lack of a properly placed device to stop the machine when an employee entered the “danger zone” led to a May 2013 fatality at a manufacturing plant in Oakland. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has cited the employer, C.H.K. Manufacturing, …
In a first-of-its-kind case, A Cal/OSHA Appeals Board administrative law judge has ruled that the adult film industry is subject to California’s bloodborne pathogens regulation, and that performers in the industry are considered employees, not independent contractors. Both elements of the case have potential implications for other industries, as ALJ Mary Dryovage cited case law …
COSTA MESA – The first meeting of the year for the Cal/OSH Standards Board didn’t quite set a record for the shortest ever, but it came close. There were no comments on two proposals that were up for public hearing and the board did not adopt any proposals. But the meeting did give a group …
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board voted 2-1 on Jan. 16 to send staff recommendations on refinery safety back for revisions, scuttling the board chairman’s call for a European-style “safety case regime” to be implemented in California. But that doesn’t mean that the safety case won’t have a part in California’s future. The …
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating a Jan. 16 workplace fatality involving a tree cutter in Saratoga. The cutter was killed when a tree he was working on fell and crushed him. The 42-year-old man is believed to have been the owner of Robert’s Tree Service, based in Watsonville. DOSH recently received …
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has rescheduled its meeting on the heat illness prevention regulation from Jan. 27 to Feb. 3. The meeting is at the Harris State Building, 2nd Floor, Room 1, in Oakland beginning at 10 a.m. DOSH plans to circulate draft changes of potential changes to the landmark standard, General …
In our Jan. 10 story, “Standards Board’s 2014 Agenda” (p. 10772, we stated that an agenda item on valve-regulated lead acid storage batteries could revise General Industry Safety Orders §5158 to update the standard to industry standards and practices. The correct safety order is GISO §5185. Our thanks to Michael Bendik, safety officer for the …
OAKLAND – Now that the Division of Occupational Safety and Health has put the zip line industry on notice that it must comply with Cal/OSHA regulations, it has reached out to operators to start a dialogue on what they must do and how to comply. The first step was a Jan. 15 meeting in Oakland …