The November 2023 fire at Martinez’s Marathon Renewables facility that severely burned an employee was the result of excessive temperatures in furnace tubes surfaces, a rupture in one of the tubes, a misaligned bypass valve, and instrumentation and interlocks that appear to have not been functioning correctly. That, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety and …
The latest Star site in Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) is part of an international company that “walks the walk” on safety and practices what it calls the Golden Rule when it comes to addressing hazards. Derrick O’Keefe, safety manager for Ontario’s Wieland Metal Services, says VPP certification is “the pinnacle of my safety career.” …
Authorities and employers advised people throughout California to work from home and stay off roads during this week’s storms; first responders throughout the state were on duty and responding to a wide range of emergency calls. Cal Fire Deputy Chief Lucas Spelman said some firefighters might have prepared for the weather by reviewing notes from …
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 …
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 California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA) honored two individuals and four companies for their work to keep the state’s surface mines safe. It is the 16th year for the CalCIMA Excellence in Safety Awards. The awards recognize safety leadership, innovation, commitment, and influence beyond an individual facility. Honored as Safety Professional of the …
The hard hat is an essential piece of personal protective equipment and has been in one form or another since the late 1800s. The most used hard hat has been around since the early 1960s, but innovations – helmets – are replacing the traditional hard hat. Based on head protection designed as climbing equipment, the …
In the recent Construction Safety Excellence Awards by the Associated General Contractors of California, two companies were recognized as finalists for their work on disparate projects with a host of hazards. Walsh Construction took the top spot in the Safety on a High-Hazard Project (click here for the story). The two other finalists were: …