The last weeks of December 2023 saw nine workplace fatalities, including three fatal falls and three deadly struck-bys. Here are some details: In Lompoc, an employee of One Priority Roofing fell through a roof and was killed. In West Covina, an employee of SMD Drive Wall was hospitalized after a November fall from the roof …
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently advised the industry that “more advanced and protective head protection” – safety helmets – should replace traditional hard hats. It recommended they be used across a panoply of industries. Shortly after, the agency announced that it is switching to safety helmets for its inspection force. OSHA is …
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board staff and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health agree that a petition by a crane certification organization should be denied. While the Board was set to vote against the petition to revise rules about how operators recertify at its December 14th meeting, events have changed the plan. It was an …
Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health has come to an agreement in settlement talks with employers regarding fatality cases. The employers will pay from 89% to 100% in these cases. Notably, most of the time, the employee responsible for the accident was the one killed. Vista Verde Farms, Corcoran: This employer has agreed to …
The personnel situation at Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health looks dire – the agency has an alarming vacancy rate of 35%. But Chief Jeff Killip says that rate is misleading, and while acknowledging the continuing challenges for the personnel-starved agency, he expresses optimism. He notes that hiring has steadily increased since the Department …
Two California employers are facing potential five-figure Cal/OSHA penalties in the wake of two fatal incidents earlier this year involving heavy machinery. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited Botanas Mexico, a distributor based in South El Monte, for three serious violations and one regulatory and $35,820 in proposed penalties in the May 25th …
The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent decree and permanent injunction against a Southern California poultry processor for various labor law violations, including employing young teenagers to do hazardous work. The Exclusive Poultry, Inc., and its owner, Tony Bran, “endangered young workers recklessly” by exposing employees as young as 14 to sharp knives …