It looks like the Cal/OSHA Standards Board will vote on a revised COVID emergency temporary standard at its May 20th meeting. It means the much-anticipated changes could be on the books by the end of the month. The question is what the changes will be and how much, if any, input will stakeholders really have.
“Cal/OSHA is on track to meet the timeline laid out by the Board and is currently on a path to present a revised standard at the May OSHSB meeting,” says Frank Polizzi, public information officer for the Department of Industrial Relations. This information comes straight from the Division.
At the board’s April meeting, Executive Officer Christina Shupe said that to get the package on the May agenda, it would have to receive the draft by yesterday – April 28th. Although DOSH did not explicitly say so, its comment to Cal-OSHA Reporter strongly suggests the language has been sent.
The board also has pledged to post the draft language for stakeholders, and potentially vote on it during the May meeting. But it is unclear at this point when the language will be posted. Shupe has cautioned that any changes to the draft language “would push that timeframe back.”
Stakeholders want Cal/OSHA to update the standard to reflect new guidance on vaccinated employees, quarantining and testing and to “catch up with the science,” as one employer representative stated.
– 30 –