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Featured Resource: Floor and Wall Openings and Holes: An Inspection Checklist September 2010 Under Sections 3211 and 3212 of the General Industry Safety Orders and Section 1632 of the Construction Safety Orders, workers must be protected against openings and holes in floors and walls that could pose a danger. To identify and fix these hazards in your workplace, use our inspection checklist: . . . more » Featured Resource: Improve Indoor Air Quality by Inspecting Your HVAC: A Checklist August 2010 Is the air in your workplace making workers sick? If so, one easy fix is to make sure that your HVAC system is clean and properly maintained. . . . more » Injury and Illness Prevention Programs: Check Your Compliance with the Most-Violated Cal/OSHA Standard July 2010 Cal/OSHA's Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPPs) standard topped the list of most-violated standards yet again in 2009. . . . more » Featured Resource: Ergonomics: A Checklist for Safer Sewing Machine Operations May 2010 A properly adjusted workstation is critical to ergonomic injury prevention in any job. Use this checklist to make sure that sewing machine workstations are properly adjusted. . . . more » Online Exclusive: Know the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest February 2010 February is American Heart Month, making it a good time to remind workers how to recognize the coronary events that kill about one American every minute. This checklist of signs and symptoms can refresh workers' memories and help them respond quickly and appropriately to a co-worker in cardiac distress. . . . more » More

Toxic Mold: Preventing Mold-Related Problems in Indoor Workplaces; Guidance from Federal OSHA and California November 2006 California was the first state in the nation to pass a law addressing the hazards of toxic mold in buildings: the Toxic Mold Protection Act of 2001. This act required the California Department of Health Services (DHS) to present a study to the legislature evaluating . . . more » Roofing Safety: A Review of Cal/OSHA's Requirements; Prevent Slips, Falls, Serious Injuries, and Deaths November 2006 Workers on roofs are at risk for serious injuries and death from falls. Not only do they perform their jobs at substantial heights, but they may also be working on surfaces that are . . . more » Best Practices: Federal OSHA's Fundamentals of a Workplace First Aid Program; Are You Ready to Respond to Medical Emergencies? September 2006 Employers in California are required to ensure that medical treatment is readily available to sick or injured workers under General Industry Safety Order Section 3400, Medical Services and First Aid. . . . more » Sign up for a trial and access more articles like these

Online Exclusive: Vision Safety Checklist September 2010 How many jobs in your facility could be performed by someone wearing a blindfold? Even a relatively minor eye injury can send a worker home for the day, so it makes sense to protect workers' eyes. Use the checklist below to identify common vision hazards and select appropriate protection. . . . more » Bulletin: Cal/OSHA shuts down farming operations for violations of heat illness prevention standard September 2010 Cal/OSHA shuts down farming operations for violations of heat illness prevention standard. With many regions of the state experiencing . . . more » Bulletin: OSHA issues new rule on crane and derricks in construction September 2010 Federal OSHA has published its final rule addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction. The new rule is designed to prevent the leading causes of . . . more » Bulletin: Vision Safety Checklist September 2010 How many jobs in your facility could be performed by someone wearing a blindfold? Even a relatively minor eye injury can send a worker home for the day, so it makes sense to . . . more » Fleet Safety: Employer Can Be Liable for Employee's Accident While Commuting; Don't Get Blindsided September 2010 Maintaining a fleet of company-owned vehicles can create a headache for employers that must maintain the vehicles and provide training and oversight to the workers who use them. Employers whose workers don't often drive as part of their jobs may find it appealing to eliminate company-owned vehicles entirely and simply reimburse workers for mileage when they use their personal vehicles for their jobs. However, as a recent court case demonstrates, that option also has risks. . . . more » Ergonomics:  Back Injuries Cost California Farms More Than $22 Million Each Year; Prevent These Costly Injuries September 2010 Life on the farm can mean back-breaking work for the workers who spend their days in the fields. Carrying heavy weights such as tools and produce, they work bent over, kneeling, reaching over plants, and twisting their wrists as they apply force. . . . more » Trainer's Handbook: It's a Gas! Protect Workers from Fumigation Hazards September 2010 Fumigation is a method of controlling pests by using airborne pesticides. The pests can include insects on crops, termites and bedbugs inside buildings, and pests in other enclosed spaces such as ships and railcars. . . . more » Air Contaminants:  Controlling Crystalline Silica Hazards in Mining; How to Reduce the Risk of Incurable Lung Disease September 2010 The total amount of mineral aggregates--sand, gravel, and crushed stone--used in the state each year works out to as much as seven tons for every Californian, according to the California Construction and Industrial Minerals Association. . . . more » Hazardous Chemicals: Cal/OSHA Updates Permissible Exposure Limits; Part II: Previously Unregulated Chemicals September 2010 In December, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board completed the most recent update of Cal/OSHA's permissible exposure limits (PELs)--something it does approximately once every three years (the last revision took effect in 2006). In last month's issue of COCA, we covered the eight revised PELs that went into effect on Aug. 3, 2010. . . . more » Appeals Board Decisions:  One Worker's Carelessness Causes Amputation of Another Worker's Leg; Employer Gets the Blame September 2010 On Oct. 24, 2007, Mariano Valenzuela was cleaning floors in the receiving area at the E & J Gallo Winery in Modesto. He emptied the trash he collected into a 24-inch screw auger that was set into the floor and covered by a 30-inch-long, eight-inch-wide grate. . . . more » Featured Resource: Floor and Wall Openings and Holes: An Inspection Checklist September 2010 Under Sections 3211 and 3212 of the General Industry Safety Orders and Section 1632 of the Construction Safety Orders, workers must be protected against openings and holes in floors and walls that could pose a danger. To identify and fix these hazards in your workplace, use our inspection checklist: . . . more » Online Exclusive: Sample New Worker Safety Training Policy August 2010 A company was hired to construct a slurry wall in a mine in Lupton, Colorado. The company had provided training for its entire crew on site-specific hazards before they began the work. . . . more » Bulletin: OSHSB schedules hearing on proposed revisions to Construction Safety Orders August 2010 The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has scheduled a public hearing in Sacramento on Aug. 19 on a proposed change to Section 1709 of the Construction Safety Orders. Section 1709 addresses the maximum allowable loads that can be placed on a . . . more » Bulletin: NIOSH issues report on 3M Model 8000 respirator August 2010 In December 2009, the state of California asked NIOSH to evaluate the 3M Model 8000 respirator after a large healthcare organization reported that it was unable to successfully . . . more » Bulletin: Online Exclusive: Sample New Worker Safety Training Policy August 2010 It's not surprising that new workers suffer more accidents than veterans--even when they come to the job with solid experience. To minimize the risks posed by your new workers, you need to . . . more » Appeals Board Decisions: Employer's Hearing Protection Program Had Hits and Misses; Tips to Make Sure Your Program Provides Full Coverage August 2010 After receiving an employee complaint about noise issues, Cal/OSHA inspected three "chill plants"--large warehouses for machinery that controls heating and cooling--at San Diego State University (SDSU) in August 2007. The inspection included the main chill plant, the business administration chill plant, and the athletics chill plant. . . . more » Hazardous Chemicals: Cal/OSHA Updates Permissible Exposure Limits; Part I: Revised Limits August 2010 In December, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board completed the most recent update of Cal/OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), something it does approximately once every three years (the last revision took effect in 2006). New or revised PELs for 13 chemicals go into effect on Aug. 3, 2010. . . . more » Trainer's Handbook: 'Green' Dry Cleaning Comes with Risks to Workers; How to Avoid Ergonomic, Chemical, and Burn Hazards August 2010 It has been a tough summer for dry cleaners. In July, the next stage of California's environmentally motivated phase-out of perchloroethylene (PERC), a chemical used extensively by dry cleaners, went into effect. Dry cleaners must retire PERC-based machines once they reach the age of 15 years, and PERC use must be entirely phased out by 2023. . . . more » Hazard Identification: Food for Thought; Food Production Facilities Find Themselves on High Hazard Industries List August 2010 Although both working conditions and sanitation have improved since the days when Upton Sinclair detailed the horrors of Chicago's meatpacking industry in his 1906 novel The Jungle, food processing and manufacturing facilities still pose serious hazards to workers . . . more » Return-to-Work Programs: How Soon Is 'Too Soon' After Concussions and Heat Illness? August 2010 When a worker is injured, it is vital to get him or her back on the job as soon as possible. A prompt return holds down your "Days Away and Restricted work and job Transfer" (DART) rate, minimizes the impact on your workers' compensation experience modification (ex-mod) ratings, and reduces the chance of a long-term or permanent disability claim. . . . more » Best Practices: That's Entertainment? Addressing Common Hazards In the Entertainment Industry August 2010 There was no audience in the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theater in Las Vegas on May 20, 2009; Tom Jones had recently finished his run. Stagehands were tearing down his set, some of them balancing precariously on a catwalk as they clipped their safety harnesses onto a horizontal lifeline and then crossed a 33-inch gap above a false ceiling on a narrow rigging plank with no guardrails. . . . more » Featured Resource: Improve Indoor Air Quality by Inspecting Your HVAC: A Checklist August 2010 Is the air in your workplace making workers sick? If so, one easy fix is to make sure that your HVAC system is clean and properly maintained. . . . more » Online Exclusive: Sample Forklift Attachment and Modification Policy July 2010 Adding attachments to or modifying the lifting apparatus on a forklift can create hazards if not done with care. Under this company's policy, the following must be done if any attachment is added to a forklift or modification made to the lifting apparatus: . . . more » Bulletin: Dry cleaners face phase-out of equipment July 2010 In 2007, the California Air Resources Board approved amendments to the Dry Cleaning Operations Airborne Toxic Control Measure for Emissions of Perchloroethylene (PERC), and the changes are finally taking effect. The amendments require all dry cleaning operations with PERC solvent equipment manufactured after July 1, 1995, to either . . . more » Bulletin: Updated Cal/OSH Appeals Board decisions available online for COCA subscribers July 2010 COCA Online subscribers can access every Cal/OSH Appeals Board decision discussed in COCA. To access the latest decisions, as well as . . . more » Bulletin: Online Exclusive: Sample Forklift Attachment and Modification Policy July 2010 Adding attachments to or modifying the lifting apparatus on a forklift often increases the machinery's usefulness, but it can also create hazards if not done with . . . more » Appeals Board Decisions: Wastewater Treatment Facility's Pool Tablet 'Bump Test' Fails Good Engineering Practice Test; Manufacturer's Recommendations Matter July 2010 The Padre Dam Municipal Water District operates a wastewater treatment plant in the San Diego County city of Santee that is equipped with a one-ton chlorine tank and a one-ton sulfur dioxide tank. In January 2009, a Cal/OSHA compliance officer (CO) inspected the plant and cited the employer for not complying with requirements of the process safety management standard. . . . more » Recordkeeping: Design a Safety Incentive Program to Encourage Safety Without Discouraging Honesty July 2010 In November 2009, the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the accuracy--or, more precisely, the inaccuracy--of federal OSHA's injury and illness statistics. . . . more » Trainer's Handbook: Verifying Electrical Lockout/Tagout; Essential Tools And Procedures for Non-Electricians July 2010 Here's a pop quiz: Who is in greater danger from electricity in the workplace, electricians or non-electricians? An analysis of electrocution deaths over a 10-year period by the Maryland-based Center for Construction Research and Training found that non-electricians were electrocuted at more than double the rate of electricians. . . . more » Infectious Diseases: Cal/OSHA Issues First Citations Under Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard; Three Bay Area Employers Mishandled Bacterial Meningitis Exposure July 2010 On Dec. 3, 2009, the Oakland fire and police departments each sent first responders to the home of a sick 36-year-old man. Once they assessed the situation, the responders called for an ambulance, which was provided by American Medical Response. . . . more » More