Heat Illness Standard Proposal Revised
On November 19, Cal/OSHA and the Cal/OSHA Standards Board released a revised proposal to change the Heat Illness Prevention Standard. The agency originally released a proposed revision on August 8, and held a public hearing on September 25. FELS parent organization, California Farm Bureau Federation and a number of other ag organizations testified at that hearing and raised a number of objections and concerns:
Cal/OSHA Standards Board Sets Hearing Date, Comment Period on Heat Illness Proposal
On August 8, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board released a proposed revision to the Heat Illness Prevention Standard, Section 3395 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations. At the same time, the agency set a comment period for the proposed regulation -- August 8, 2014 through September 25, 2014 -- and set a public hearing for September 26 in San Diego.
You can view the Standards Boards' notice, along with the Initial Statement of Reasons and the proposed revision at this link.
Read more: Comment Period, Hearing Set for Heat Illness Revision
Cal/OSHA Submits Draft Heat Illness Regulation
On May 28, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health of the Department of Industrial Relations submitted a proposed revision to the Heat Illness Prevention Standard, Section 3395 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations. The agency indicates it has initiated this regulatory process with a goal of having a revised standard in place for the 2015 growing season.
Kicking-Off the 2014 Heat Season
Cal/OSHA recently reminded agricultural employers of the agency's upcoming Heat Illness Prevention standard enforcement activity. The goal of the program is to reduce the incidence of heat illness statewide and ensure compliance with California's heat illness standard.
Get a Tractor Personnel Carrier Variance
Tractor-mounted platforms to transport workers, have been widely used in California, particularly in the southern Central Valley and on the Central Coast. But Cal/OSHA has consistently taken the position that use of such transportation devices violates Cal/OSHA safety standards.
Reporting Work-Related Injuries, Illnesses and Deaths
An employer may encounter three kinds of work-related physical or mental harm to employees:
(1) A relatively minor injury or illness that does not require medical treatment beyond first aid or cause lost time beyond the date of the injury or illness;
(2) A serious injury or illness requiring medical treatment beyond first aid or causing lost time beyond the date of the injury or illness; or,
(3) A death.
Read more: Reporting Workplace Injuries, Illnesses and Deaths
IIPP Tools Developed
The Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP) has published new tools to aid agricultural employers with their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP).
DPR Pest Safety for Children
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has created a fun, useful series of seven exciting videos that show "green" ways for controlling pests. The videos, filmed in child care centers in Yolo County, can help prevent pests from entering centers and becoming hazardous to human health. (See video clip here<http://youtu.be/3FTgBZuWerM>).
Cal/OSHA Asks Standard Board for Night Work Standard
Cal/OSHA Standards Board issued a request for a night work safety standard to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board on December 2. Click here to view the proposed regulation.
Acting Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum asked to Board to "augument and clarify the requirement to provide work area lighting about agricultural equipment and trucking operations during agricultural field operations..."
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Pictograms
Cal/OSHA has adopted new federal rules for Hazard Communication, training your employees on hazardous chemicals they will encounter in the workplace. One of the changes you need to train employees about are the new Safety Data Sheets (SDS), the replacement for old Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
For a short video to explain the new requirement,