Cal/OSHA Compliance Advisor - The Practical Guide to Workplace Safety for California Employers
Home | Contact Us | Free E-Zine | Tell a Friend | Search | Member Log-In
Cal/OSHA Recordkeeping Made Easy
 ABOUT US
About this Site
Editorial Review Board
Mission Statement
Site Tour
Subscribe To Our Feed
 NEWS & ADVICE
Most Recent Articles
Browse by Topic
Search
Online Exclusive
Webinars
Weekly E-Alert Articles
Quick Tips
 RESOURCES
Sample Policies
Checklists
Special Reports
Cal/OSH Decisions
Required Notices
Ask An Editor
Reference Links
Supervisor PDFs
Subscription Services

Cal/OSHA vs. Fed/OSHA: A Comprehensive Guide To the Crucial Differences
 HELP
Account/Login Help
Contact Us
FAQs
Privacy Policy
Site Map
Terms of Use
Your Account
Our Guarantee
Text Size




CER has received 14 Editorial Excellence Awards

A Publication of California Employer Resources
Home | Equipment and Process
 

Equipment and Process Safety

Subtopics:

Hazardous Energy and Electricity
Machine Guarding
Material Handling
Specific Industries

Complete Topic List


Elevating work platforms: The 5 leading causes of deadly accidents and how to prevent them
January 2013
Work at elevation always exposes workers to the hazard of a deadly fall. The use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs, also known as aerial work platforms or AWPs), such as boom lifts and scissor lifts, can provide a measure of safety. Unfortunately, the enhanced safety provided by guardrails as well as the ability to have both hands free to work and a place to put tools and equipment are to some degree offset by the hazards of the elevating equipment itself. . . . more »
Featured resource: Check your welding, cutting, and brazing safety
January 2013
Whenever workers are welding, cutting, or brazing, they are at risk. Fire is the most obvious hazard, but compressed gas cylinders, electricity, and hazardous welding fumes also pose hazards. Check your welding, cutting, and brazing operations for safety with this checklist, adapted from federal OSHA. . . . more »
Crushing injuries: Investigations find victims weren't trained on job hazards; Prevent this common killer
August 2012
In May, California's Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (CA-FACE) program released its investigation reports on two workers who were fatally crushed at work. The two incidents occurred under very different circumstances--one worker was in an excavation, and the other was performing maintenance on a vehicle. But the program's recommendation for preventing the hazard was the same: Both workers should have been trained in the hazards of their jobs. . . . more »
Construction: Watch out for that bulldozer! How to keep pedestrians safe around moving equipment
July 2012
At a Glendale worksite, a carpenter was struck and killed by a front-end loader when he walked through the area where the loader was operating to retrieve work materials from storage and was in the loader's blind spot. Cal/OSHA cited the employer for a violation of Construction Safety Orders (CSO) Section 1592 for failing to control its earthmoving equipment in a way that protected workers on foot. It was assessed an $18,000 fine. . . . 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 »
Legislation: Governor Signs Occupational Safety-Related Laws; New Requirements For Safe Patient Handling, Body Artists, and Pipelines
December 2011
The Legislature had a busy session in 2011, and Gov. Jerry Brown signed a flurry of bills into law this fall--including three that will affect occupational safety and health in California. We'll provide an overview of those laws. . . . more »
Trainer's Handbook: Safe Work Procedures Can Prevent Deadly Nail Gun Injuries; Train Workers to Safely Handle This Powerful Equipment
December 2011
Nail guns are used every day on many construction jobs. Although they boost productivity, nail guns also cause tens of thousands of painful injuries each year. . . . more »
Standards Update: Cal/OSHA Adopts Updates to Ship Building Rules and First Aid for Electrical Workers
December 2011
Cal/OSHA recently adopted two federal rules that bring its regulations into line with new and existing federal rules. Both rules were "Horcher adoptions," meaning that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has made only editorial and format changes necessary to conform the federal standards to California's other state laws and standards. . . . more »
OSHA and NIOSH release nail gun safety guide
November 2011
Federal OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have teamed up to publish a new guide designed to help employers and workers prevent work-related nail gun injuries. The guid . . . more »
Appeals Board Decisions: 'Transportation' Standard Applies to Parked Forklift Load; Three Key Findings You Should Know
November 2011
Loren Roose worked as a preventive maintenance and repair technician for Forklift Sales of Sacramento, Inc., in Fresno. While Roose was at a customer's facility in 2005, he was asked to repair the wheels on a pallet jack. . . . more »
Contractors: Who Is Responsible for Safety on Multi-Employer Worksites? A Primer for Controlling Employers
November 2011
Cal/OSHA's rules for multi-employer worksites define the roles for four different categories of employers, with the heaviest burden falling on the "controlling employer" at each worksite. These rules are found in Article 4.5 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations and apply to both general industry and construction industry employers. If you're involved in a multi-employer site, you need to know who the controlling employer is and what that means for your safety responsibilities. . . . more »
Chemical Process Safety: Refinery Fire Draws Attention to Deficits in Procedures and Testing; Do You Know What the PSM Rules Require?
September 2011
Two contractors were performing pipe-breaking work at the Evergreen Oil refinery in Newark on March 29 when a section of the pipe burst. The de-gassed oil released from the pipe ignited, melting a nearby tank and causing a hydrochloric acid release that injured one worker and started a two-alarm fire. . . . more »
Appeals Board Decisions: Do General Industry Safety Orders Apply to Construction-Related Work? The Board Weighs In
August 2011
Stacy and Witbeck, an Alameda-based construction employer, kept a storage facility in San Francisco that was used to supply its construction projects throughout the city. Materials for the projects, which involved removing and replacing old water pipes within San Francisco, were stored at the facility along with the trucks that transported them. . . . more »
Agriculture: NIOSH Study Raises Concerns About Pesticide Drift; Risk Factors and Control Strategies for Preventing Worker Exposures
August 2011
With nine of the nation's 10 top-producing agricultural counties, and nearly half of the nation's homegrown fruits, nuts, and vegetables produced here, California is an agricultural powerhouse. . . . more »
Hazard Identification: Fatalities Highlight the Hazards of Long Hair and Loose Clothing; Tips for Preventing Dangerous Entanglements
July 2011
No one knows for certain why Michael Smith was trying to go up the down escalator at the Powell Street BART station in San Francisco on April 19, just as no one knows what caused him to fall. But once his hair and clothing became caught in the escalator, he couldn't escape. Emergency responders shut down the escalator, cut Smith free, and performed CPR but to no avail. He was declared dead at the hospital. . . . more »
NIOSH highlights best practices for lockout/tagout during machine maintenance
June 2011
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued a tip sheet, Using Lockout and Tagout Procedures to Prevent Injury and D . . . more »
More HeadlinesMore Headlines
 Tip of the Week
Sign up for our free
Weekly E-Alert


View E-Alert Archives

2013 Cal/OSHA Safety Master Class
 TOPICS
Most Popular
Complete Topic List
Best Practices
Emergency Planning
Equipment and Process
Haz Subst & Mat
Health
IIPPs
Personnel Safety
Safety Administration
Trainer's Handbook
Transportation
Free Report: Safety Recordkeeping
Understanding the Ins and Outs of Cal/OSHA's Recordkeeping Rules 
Download Now»
 TESTIMONIALS
Here's what our subscribers are saying ...


"I enjoy your publication very much--one of the best out there! Keep up the fine work."

Richard C., CSP, ARM
Senior VP
Aon Risk Services,
Construction Services Group



"Cal/OSHA Compliance Advisor keeps our very small company up to date on safety. Reminds us monthly to meet and discuss safety issues."

Peter M.
Cellarmaster/Safety Director
Robert Craig Wine Cellars
Angwin, CA



"Your e-alert service is very good with a lot of useful information. Keep up the good work... I really enjoy getting them."
Barry Fach
C & E Vision Services, Inc.