Feature Articles


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Feature Articles

Articles from current issue of the Cal/OSHA Compliance Advisor monthly newsletter are listed below.

Click on any headline below to find the full article. And be sure to click the "More Headlines" link at the bottom of the page to read articles you may have missed.

Appeals Board Decisions: Worker Suffers Partial Amputation; Employer Escapes Liability but Still Must Address Hazard
February 2012
On Aug. 30, 2010, the operator of a textile machine at Hollander Home Fashions in Vernon, outside of Los Angeles, told the production supervisor that the machine was not feeding properly. The supervisor, Rigoberto Rendon, turned off the machine and waited, knowing that the machine's spindle took about four minutes to come to a complete stop. . . . more »

Older Workers: Addressing Age-Related Health and Safety Concerns in Your Workforce
February 2012
The days of retiring at age 62 or so are over for many. Instead of playing golf and gardening, a significant number of older Americans are still at work. These workers bring valuable experience, but they also may be at greater risk for certain kinds of work-related injuries. . . . more »

Ergonomics: Sprains and Strains Top 2010 Work-Related Injuries; Identify and Control the Hazards Behind These Injuries
February 2012
In 2010, more California workers missed worktime because of sprains and strains than any other work-related injury. Nearly 54,000 California workers had to stay home for one or more days due to this type of injury. . . . more »

Trainer's Handbook: Slips and Falls Pose Hazards to Roofers; Train Them to Work Safely
February 2012
A roof over your head. It's a metaphor for security and safety. Unfortunately, putting that roof in place involves significant fall risks for workers. Providing proper training and equipment can help ensure that the people who work on a roof are as safe as the people who will be protected beneath it. . . . more »

Personal Protective Equipment: Cowboy Boots Cause Deadly Slip and Fall; Are Your Workers Wearing the Right Shoes for Their Jobs?
February 2012
After a 60-year-old California nursery owner loaded a tractor onto a semi-trailer in August 2010, he stepped out of the tractor's cab, slipped, and fell backwards. He struck his head on the asphalt, eight feet below, and died later that evening. . . . more »

Mine Safety: Catalina Island Mine Cited for Failing to Observe 'Most Basic Methods' of Hazard Control; What the Employer Did Wrong
February 2012
The Pebbly Beach Quarry is an open surface mine on Catalina Island, with a highwall (the excavated edge of the mine) that ranges from 200 to 300 feet in height. In May 2011, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspected Pebbly Beach and issued three citations to the mine operator, Connolly-Pacific Company. . . . more »

Featured Resource: February Is American Heart Month; Is Your Workplace Heart Healthy?
February 2012
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. While employers have no control over many factors affecting heart health--including workers' weight and overall health status, genetic heritage, and health behaviors like diet, exercise, and smoking--some conditions in your workplace may play a role. . . . more »

Appeals Board Decisions: Recent Cases Highlight Excavator Hazards; Beware Of Equipment and Site Hazards
January 2012
Workers on and around excavators are exposed to hazards created by the equipment itself as well as hazards that vary by worksite--and either type of hazard can cause serious injuries or death. Two recent cases illustrate these hazards. . . . more »

Electrical Safety: An Overview of Required Safe Work Practices and Signage for High-Voltage Overhead Lines
January 2012
Exposure to high-voltage hazards is not limited to employees of electrical utilities--workers in industries like construction and agriculture can also be exposed to them. . . . more »

Trainer's Handbook: Safe Work Practices for Lead-Acid Battery Charging Can Prevent Explosions and Burns
January 2012
There are a lot of ways to be injured or killed around forklifts: Workers can be run over, impaled, crushed by falling loads, or crushed when the forklift rolls over. . . . more »

Hazard Identification: Federal OSHA Issues Guidance on Laboratory Safety; Addressing Hazards in 4 Major Categories
January 2012
Laboratories are dangerous places, and university laboratories have proved deadly with disturbing regularity in recent years. . . . more »

Fleet Safety: Worker's Death Prompts Updated Guidance on Servicing Single, Split-Rim, and Multi-Piece Rims
January 2012
On Jan. 18, 2010, a 27-year-old leased laborer working at a California tile company was changing a flat forklift tire with a co-worker. The two men assembled and inflated one wheel assembly with no problems. . . . more »

Training: Get More Bang for Your Training Buck with Targeted Toolbox Talks
January 2012
Which do you suppose a worker will remember more clearly: the weeklong safety course he completed six months ago or the 15-minute safety chat the foreman gave at the beginning of the shift addressing the specific job tasks the worker would do that day? . . . more »

Multi-Employer Worksites: Appellate Court Says Cal/OSHA Need Not Show Controlling Employers Could Have Abated Violations; What You Need to Know
December 2011
In 2003, Harris Construction was the general contractor on a project at Madera Community College in Madera. Jeff Gilkison was an apprentice pipefitter for Champion Industrial Contractors, Harris's subcontractor on the project. . . . more »

Workplace Violence: Recent Shootings Illustrate Sources of Violence; What's Your Greatest Risk?
December 2011
It was allegedly a contentious divorce that pushed Scott Dekraai over the edge. On October 12, just one day after he appeared in court to ask for more time with his 8-year-old son, Dekraai put on body armor, armed himself, and went to the Seal Beach beauty salon where his ex-wife worked as a hairdresser. Dekraai opened fire, killing eight people, including his ex-wife. . . . more »

Appeals Board Decisions: Board Weighs in on Winery's Tank Press; Tank Press Is Not Exempt from Confined Spaces Rules
December 2011
After a worker suffered a fingertip amputation while working with a tank press at Foster's Wine Estates America (dba Chateau St. Jean) in the Sonoma County town of Kenwood, Cal/OSHA inspected and found that workers periodically entered the tank press to hose it out. . . . more »

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