Blog Archives

Heat Illness, Appeals Board Dominated the Conversation This Year

Persistent but so-far-unsuccessful efforts of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to revise the state’s heat illness prevention standard and controversy surrounding the Cal/OSH Appeals Board were the major topics in the pages of Cal-OSHA Reporter in 2009. DOSH was active on both the enforcement and regulatory fronts on heat illness this year, and … Read More »

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Pressurized Worksite Revisions

A proposal to overhaul Cal/OSHA regulations on operations where employees work under pressure has been modified by the Cal/OSH Standards Board to address “at least as effective” concerns by Fed-OSHA. The rulemaking package, part of a July 16, 2009, public hearing, revises General Industry Safety Orders (GISO) §§ 6070, 6074, 6075, 6080, 6087, 6089, 6090, … Read More »

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CSUN Symposium: Sustainability for Safety Professionals, Feb. 18, 2010

Rainforests in the San Fernando Valley? Cal-State Northridge’s 2010 Technical Symposium, hosted by the Environmental and Occupational Health Alumni promises just that with “Sustainability Initiatives: A View to the Future,” Feb. 18 at the University Student Union. Speakers include Dr. Michael Wilson of UC-Berkeley’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Health on “green” chemistry; Lorraine Sedlak, … Read More »

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Crushing Death in Lemon Cove

California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is investigating a Dec. 3 workplace fatality at a San Diego high-tech firm. The dead worker was employed by McPherson Enterprises, Inc., at Vulcan Materials Co. in Lemon Cove, San Diego County. “The employee was crushed between two pieces of equipment when the one he was standing on … Read More »

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Michaels Confirmed as OSHA Chief

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Dr. David Michaels as assistant secretary of labor, overseeing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Dr.  has a reputation as an authority on the use of science in public policy. But is he an extremist, as conservatives claim? Dr. Michaels is an epidemiologist and has been interim chair at The George … Read More »

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“Kill Switch” Change Now in Title 8

By a majority vote following public hearings, the following revisions to a Title 8 safety order have been adopted by the Cal/OSH Standards Board. They have been approved by the Office of Administrative Law and now are in the California Code of Regulations. MOMENTARY CONTACT DEVICES: Revisions to General Industry Safety Orders §4086 were heard … Read More »

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Average Penalty per Cal/OSHA Safety Order

Violations of General Industry Safety Orders §3441, covering safety of agricultural equipment, brought the highest average penalty between October 2008 and September of this year, according to data provided by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Program Office. DOSH cited California ag employers for 32 alleged violations of the safety order for a … Read More »

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DOSH Feasibility Committee Tackles PELs Without “Magic Numbers”

OAKLAND — With a new paradigm and after much discussion, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Feasibility Advisory Committee (FAC) made recommendations on permissible exposure limits (PELs) for four chemicals Dec. 8. In some cases, the committee concurred with recommendations by the Health Effects Advisory Committee (HEAC), the first step in Cal/OSHA’s revised process … Read More »

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