Standards Board Rejects Employers’ COVID Plan — But Is There Hope?

The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has rejected a petition by a labor-management group seeking to take a unique approach to regulating COVID and future diseases of its ilk. The board also turned back entreaties to send the issue to an advisory committee on its own merit. But the issue is not dead: The board said it … Read More »

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California Extends COVID Rules

To the surprise of no one, and despite employer groups’ vocal opposition, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board approved the final version of the state’s COVID emergency temporary standard. The Board vote … Read More »

Report: Amazon an Injury Machine

Employees at Amazon warehouses across the country suffered nearly 40,000 injuries in 2021, with a “serious” rate more than double that of other warehouses, according to a new report. The injuries are due to “Amazon’s obsession with speed,” according to “The Injury Machine,” produced by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC), a coalition of four labor … Read More »

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Standards Board – In Person Again

The Cal/OSHA Standards Board will hold its first in-person meeting since early 2020 on April 21st in Oakland, Cal-OSHA Reporter has confirmed. The meeting will be significant, as the board is expected to vote on the final extension of the COVID emergency temporary standard. Governor Gavin Newsom has not renewed an executive order mandating that … Read More »

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Most Cited & Appealed Cal/OSHA Violations – 2021

Almost half of the most-cited Title 8 violations in 2021 involved the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) standards, and specific regulations related to airborne infectious diseases due to the COVID pandemic. And it was those safety orders which were among the most appealed violations of the year. Traditionally, the IIPP standards, General Industry Safety … Read More »

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ETS to Become Permanent?

Against the backdrop of the pandemic becoming endemic, mask requirements terminated in most states and businesses, and a public who has had just about enough, Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health is finalizing language for the final version of its COVID emergency temporary standard. The Standards Board is expected to pass on it on … Read More »

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Masking in the Workplace is Over!

Unvaccinated employees in California are no longer are required to wear masks in indoor work settings. Governor Gavin Newsom, in advance of this year’s midterms, has joined his fellow blue state governors and suspended the requirement. Most red states dropped the mask requirements long ago. The executive order, issued on February 28th, is effective immediately, … Read More »

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Soon Ending: Employers’ Mask Mandates

February 15th marked the end of California’s Covid indoor masking requirement. But employers are not relieved of the Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standards requirements about masking. Until further notice, unvaccinated individuals in the workplace still need to mask up. Governor Gavin Newsom followed the end of the general mask mandate by announcing that the state was … Read More »

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