Permanent COVID Standard by Spring?

Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s announcement that it intends to start work on a permanent version of the Title 8 COVID regulation raises several questions. Stakeholders at a Thursday, September 23rd advisory got some answers and gave DOSH constructive comments on shaping the potential regulation. First and foremost, the Division clarified the timing … Read More »

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OSH Bills to Governor’s Desk

Four bills related to occupational safety and health – some controversial, some not – have reached the governor’s desk. The governor has until October 10th to act on them. First, the controversial. The state Senate and Assembly have agreed on the final version of SB 606 and sent it to the governor. Authored by Senator … Read More »

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Status of OSH Bills

Several significant pieces of legislation affecting occupational safety and health are close to passage in California’s statehouse. Here is a status update, including major revisions to three of the bills. AB 701: This bill by Assemblyman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) has been revised in the state Senate, where it is in its second reading. It … Read More »

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Technical Diving Reg Approved

The California Office of Administrative Law has approved Title 8 revisions that officially recognize technical diving in California. It takes effect on October 1st. The Cal/OSHA Standards Board adopted the revisions at its April meeting. The revisions have been several years in the making. While the Board was in the process of adopting Fed-OSHA diving … Read More »

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Bill to Expand Cal/OSHA Powers

Senator Lena Gonzalez and co-author, Assemblyman Lorena Gonzalez, through SB 606, seek to apply Fed-OSHA’s “egregious employer” provisions to Cal/OSHA violations. But the bill is much more than just that concept. It also would give Cal/OSHA the ability to enforce provisions of the state Labor Code directly and would empower the agency to cite employers … Read More »

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Variance Keeps the Pressure Off Employees

A Los Angeles project’s huge tunnel boring machines need maintenance and inspection, but also needs to keep the tunnel face pressurized. Here’s how the construction company and Cal/OSHA have worked out procedures to keep these employees safe. The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has granted a variance from several Title 8 regulations so that employees of Tutor … Read More »

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Warehouse Quota Bill

There is a new bill in the California Legislature. AB 701, by Assemblyman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), takes aim at quotas for warehouse employees – most particularly Amazon. It would require employers to provide written descriptions of employee quotas, any adverse actions resulting from failure to meet the quota, and inform employees in writing when … Read More »

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Dem Seeks to Super-Size Cal/OSHA Penalties

Ostensibly aimed at “egregious and flagrant” COVID-19 violations among employers, a new bill in the California Legislature would ratchet up Cal/OSHA penalties for willful violations by allowing the agency to issue a separate violation – and a separate fine – for each exposed employee. Nothing in the bill limits its application to alleged COVID exposures. … Read More »

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