High-Dollar Cases in Latest Settlements

Among the hundreds of settlements to Cal/OSHA cases approved by the Appeals Board in March are two involving fatalities and serious injuries that had hundreds of thousands of dollars in proposed penalties at stake. Here’s how those, and other significant cases, settled out. Alhambra Foundry, a metalworks and fabrication company, has agreed to pay $147,350 … Read More »

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Governor’s Budget Hits Cal/OSHA

Cal/OSHA is slated for a 17% budget decrease under the Governor’s proposed 2025-26 budget. That would mean a 13% decrease overall for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health compliance program, but it would also mean an increase for Cal/OSHA Consultation and the Standards and Appeals boards. The total proposed for DOSH (which includes the … Read More »

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Cal/OSHA Fatality Cases Resolved 2024

Here are the results of recent settlements, one dating back almost nine years, between Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health and employers in fatality cases. The Appeals Board approved these resolutions. The long-delayed case concerns SW Forage, a Hesperia hay dealer.  It suffered a workplace fatality on February 16th, 2016.  A 49-year-old male machine … Read More »

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Shipbuilder Appeals Decision

The San Diego Superior Court has denied a motion for a writ of mandate filed by General Dynamics/NASSCO. The shipbuilder tried to set aside a Cal/OSHA Appeals Board Decision After Reconsideration affirming citations following an injury incident in 2018. The Appeals Board upheld an administrative law judge’s decision affirming serious and general violations and $18,600 … Read More »

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Appeals Board Changes Procedures

The Appeals Board says it is changing how it holds status conferences to “fairly, timely, and efficiently” resolve employers’ appeals to Cal/OSHA citations. The changes, announced on August 26th, are effective immediately, according to Presiding Administrative Law Judges Kerry Lewis and Sam Lucas. Lewis presides over ALJ activities in Northern California and Lucas in the … Read More »

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Cal/OSHA Citations Following Fatalities

Here are some of the latest cases brought against employers regarding 2023 fatal workplace incidents. Most cases have been contested at the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board, of which two have been settled. Employers are presumed innocent in the appeals process.   Fatalities in Farmland The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has cited Woodland’s Payne Farms … Read More »

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Fatality Cases Resolved – May 17, 2024

Here are the results of 10 workplace fatality cases that were recently finalized in settlement agreements between the respective employers and Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The Appeals Board approved the deals. Crushing Incidents Hi Grade Materials Co.: This Hesperia construction materials producer will pay $51,030 (68%) of Cal/OSHA’s proposed $75,000 for citations … Read More »

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Appeals Board Video Hearing Rules Affirmed by State Court of Appeal

The California Court of Appeal has upheld a lower court ruling that denied a writ to invalidate emergency rules allowing video hearings, as promulgated by the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board. The ruling by the Third Appellate District rejects the appeal by MWL Solutions, Hampton Tedder Electric, and BMC West, filed by Donnell, Melgoza & Scates law … Read More »

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