Cal/OSHA


Home \| Contact Us \| Free E-Zine \| Tell a Friend \| Search \| Member Log-In

Home | Cal/OSHA

Cal/OSHA

Back to General Safety
Complete Topic List

Appeals Board decisions: Was the general contractor the controlling employer? OSHAB reconsiders
June 2013
Harris Construction Company was the general contractor for a project at Madera Community College in Madera in the summer of 2003 and subcontracted with Champion Industrial Construction to perform pipe fitting work. When a Champion employee was injured, Harris was cited as a controlling employer under California's multi-employer workplace standard. . . . more »

Standards update: Crane, pull saw, and head protection rules have changed
May 2013
The state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) updated three workplace safety regulations in the first quarter of 2013. . . . more »

Cal/OSHA's Consultation Service provides free compliance assistance for California employers
May 2013
Under most circumstances, you wouldn't want Cal/OSHA showing up at your door. But there's one exception you should know about, especially in a time of tight budgets and cutbacks: Cal/OSHA's Consultation Service. . . . more »

Cal/OSHA updates sample IIPPs
April 2013
Cal/OSHA has issued two updated sample Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPPs) for high-hazard employers and non-high-hazard employers. The agency provides sev . . . more »

Appeals Board decisions: Employer obtains penalty relief from serious/willful violations; Find out how
April 2013
On December 14, 2010, workers for TL Pavlich Construction were installing a 30-inch-diameter water pipe 12 feet underground at a worksite in Montebello (in Los Angeles County). The site was contaminated by abandoned oil and gas wells nearby. . . . more »

Enforcement: Manager who ordered safety device removed from tractor gets jail time; When will California prosecute?
April 2013
On January 22, 2011, 37-year-old Jose Ambriz-Luquin was finishing his shift at Vino Farms in Santa Rosa and preparing to shut his tractor down for the night. As he climbed down from the tractor, his clothing got caught, unintentionally shifting the tractor into gear. . . . more »

Citations: Chevron receives highest proposed fine in Cal/OSHA history
April 2013
On August 6, 2012, a severely corroded pipe in the #4 crude unit at the Chevron refinery in Richmond began leaking hydrocarbon gas. . . . more »

LETF issues stop orders for equipment at garment businesses
March 2013
The state Labor Enforcement Task Force (LETF)—a multiagency group formed to combat the underground economy—recently ordered two garment businesses to stop any work with dangerous industrial . . . more »

Appeals Board decisions: What did the supervisor see? 2 employers lose appeals based on supervisor awareness of a violation
March 2013
When workers do something unsafe that violates company rules, their safety training, and Cal/OSHA standards, it's not usually the employer's fault. That's why the independent employee action defense (IEAD) is a recognized defense against Cal/OSHA citations. . . . more »

Online Exclusive: Checklist for Cal/OSHA inspection preparation
COCA Online Exclusive February 2013
Cal/OSHA inspectors follow a procedure when inspecting a worksite. It doesn't vary all that much, but many employers are still caught off guard, unaware of what to expect and what they will be asked (and legally required) to provide. This checklist will help you prepare for the day that Cal/OSHA comes knocking. . . . more »

Appeals Board decisions: Employer can't disregard Cal/OSHA requirements not found in the California Building Code
February 2013
United States Cold Storage of California operates a facility in Tracy, from where it stores and distributes frozen foods. After the company reported an accident, Cal/OSHA inspected the facility. . . . more »

Standards update: Board approves revisions affecting load hoisting, diesel runaway protections, and more
January 2013
The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) was busy in the latter part of 2012, approving a slew of revisions to the Cal/OSHA standards that took effect in November. . . . more »

Safety management: Check your training program against Cal/OSHA's recommended best practices
December 2012
Training is a vital part of your safety program. It's a required part of your Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), it may be required by specific standards that apply to your workplace, and it can provide a natural environment for communication between management and employees about safety and health issues. . . . more »

Standards update: New rules enhance safety for laboratory workers, tree trimmers
November 2012
Two new standards were recently finalized by California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) that address hazards common to laboratory workers and tree trimmers. Read on to learn what's new. . . . more »

Special Report included with this issue: The 8 keys to a Cal/OSHA-compliant IIPP
October 2012
Since 1991, California employers been required to create a comprehensive written safety management plan called an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Although this requirement has existed fo . . . more »

Appeals Board decisions: Crane accident was the worker's fault; How to prove the independent employee action defense
September 2012
At the National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO) facility in San Diego, two gantry cranes were scheduled to conduct a team lift during the third shift on May 20, 2010. When third shift rigging supervisor Emory Evans arrived at work, he was told by the second shift rigging supervisor that a sandblast hopper was located very close to the track of crane 15, one of the cranes that was to be used in the lift. . . . more »

More Headlines