Tagged in: Standards Board

Industry Pushes Back on Silica Ban Plan

A proposed ban on the fabrication and installation of engineered stone in California would “punish” compliant employers and push businesses out of California, employer groups and labor representatives tell the Cal/OSHA Standards Board. The silica ban was proposed by the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association (WOEMA) in early December, amid increasing cases of silicosis … Read More »

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Plume Finally Meets

More than eight years after a nurses’ association petitioned the Cal/OSHA Standards Board for protection from the surgical plume, work is beginning to progress. A Division of Occupational Safety and Health-led committee will meet on January 20th via Zoom to discuss a draft proposal. The 2017 petition by the California Nurses Association followed closely the … Read More »

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Petition Would Effectively Ban Engineered Stone

The Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association (WOEMA), which in 2023 petitioned the Cal/OSHA Standards Board for an emergency standard to better protect workers in California’s countertop fabrication industry, now says it is time to ban fabricating engineered stone altogether WOEMA has requested “expedited” rulemaking to prohibit “all fabrication and installation tasks,” including cutting, grinding, … Read More »

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Final Approval for Confined Spaces Reg

California’s Office of Administrative Law has given final approval to Cal/OSHA’s Confined Spaces in Construction revisions, which the Standards Board adopted in September. The rulemaking package takes effect on January 1st, 2026. The revisions to Construction Safety Orders §§ 1951, 1952, 1953, and General Industry Safety Orders § 5156 have a long history, dating back … Read More »

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Autonomous Progress Stuck in Neutral

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board staff has recommended that Cal/OSHA require approval for all self-propelled autonomous equipment before it can be used in agricultural operations where workers are present. Board Chair Joseph Alioto, Jr., quickly dismissed that and other recommendations on the long-simmering issue at the rulemaking body’s recent meeting. “We’re not going … Read More »

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Contentious Issues on WPV Reg

The debate about what should and shouldn’t be in Cal/OSHA’s general industry workplace violence prevention regulation will continue into 2026. But a recent advisory committee narrowed down many of the remaining issues. But the affected communities remain somewhat factious. And it’s not only about safety regulations, it’s also about workers’ compensation coverage. What hasn’t been … Read More »

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