Blog Archives

DOSH Seeks Permanent Heat Changes; Farmworker Groups Seek Court-Ordered Protections

The heat promises to be a hot subject in California long after the cold and rain return to the Golden State. On July, the United Farm Workers (UFW) union and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Cal/OSHA seeking court-mandated changes to the state’s heat illness regulation … Read More »

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OSH Fund: W/C Premiums Now Cal/OSHA’s Major Funding Source

What started out last year as a way to support newly increased costs to Cal/OSHA is now the primary source of state funds for the program. With the signing of the California budget comes a new way to fund the state’s occupational safety and health agencies: assessments on employers’ workers’ comp premiums. The state Legislature … Read More »

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PEL Committee Meets Sept. 10

Cal/OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) Health Expert Advisory Committee (HEAC) holds its 10th meeting on Sept. 10 in Oakland, at which time it is expected to discuss PEL recommendations for eight substances. The HEAC agenda includes wrapping up discussions on recommendations for: Hydrogen chloride N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone Ethyl benzene The committee also will continue discussions on naphthalene, … Read More »

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New Fed-OSHA Document Addresses Combustible Dust Hazards

Fed-OSHA recently published  Hazard Communication Guidance for Combustible Dust, a new guidance document that assists chemical manufacturers and importers in recognizing the potential for dust explosions, identifying appropriate protective measures and the requirements for disseminating this information on material safety data sheets and labels.  The document addresses combustible dust hazards in relation to the Hazard … Read More »

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Heza Named Consultation Manager

For 10 years, Vicky Heza guided the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) enforcement unit. Now she will oversee the Cal/OSHA Consultation Unit, which aims to help employers develop safety and health programs that prevent injuries and illnesses. Gov. Schwarzenegger recently named Christopher Lee as DOSH deputy chief for Cal/OSHA enforcement, replacing Heza, a … Read More »

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The Missing Mr. Moreno Must Move

California’s Cal/OSH Standards Board members work without pay, volunteering their time to advance the cause of occupational safety and health in California. Most of them spend countless personal hours poring over rulemaking records to understand the issues and prepare for votes or public hearings. Active board members participate in sometimes mind-numbing variance hearings and intelligently … Read More »

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Board Okays First-Aid Revisions

The Cal/OSH Standards Board on July 16 approved changes to the General Industry Safety Orders (GISO) to ensure that employees have adequate emergency communications and to correct a reference to a national consensus standard on protective footwear. The revisions to GISO §3400 are based on a petition sent anonymously from the spouse of a worker … Read More »

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Citation Follows After Axle Falls

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) recently issued citations to three employers following investigations into workplace fatalities due to a vehicle maintenance mishap, a fall from a ladder and a rollover incident. Vehicle Maintenance Mishap DOSH has cited CR&R, Inc., of Perris, in the Dec. 10, 2008, death of an employee who was … Read More »

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