Cal/OSHA launches 2012 heat illness prevention campaign at new Bakersfield office
Cal/OSHA today launched its 2012 campaign to prevent worker deaths and illnesses due to heat exposure in all outdoor workplaces in California. Cal/OSHA’s launch was announced at their new District Office in Bakersfield. The agency’s extensive, multi-pronged effort of outreach, education and enforcement to ensure worker safety will involve coordinated statewide inspections, local inspections during heat waves, trainings and presentations to employer and worker organizations, and a comprehensive public education campaign through print, radio and other media.
Cal-OSHA Standards Board Approves New Ladder Safety Rules
(Click here for amended regulation)
On March 9, 2012 a new ladder standard went into effect. Here is a summary of Title 8, CCR, Section 3276. Portable Ladders:
Subsection (b) of this section consists of definitions of terminology used in the standards that comprise this section. An amendment to add a definition for the term “single-rail ladder” was added. This definition will clarify to the employer the meaning and application of the proposed standard prohibiting single-rail ladder use in new subsection (d). An amendment for Section 3276(d)(1) which pertains to the selection and use of portable ladders to add language that prohibits single-rail ladder use. The amendment will require employers to use conventional two rail portable ladders.
Posters from
New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH)
In addition to farm safety services, NYCAMH offers a wide variety of bilingual print materials that are appropriate for short, informal training sessions held on the farm or in the field. Our posters and flyers are designed for easy readability and are offered in English and Spanish with select materials also available in Haitian Creole. Posters can be requested by calling 800-343-7527, emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or PDF files can be downloaded and printed. We also have farm safety articles on a number of topics.
OSHA Videos Demo Safe Respirator Use
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has posted a series of 17 videos to help workers learn about the proper use of respirators on the job.
Employer Guide to OSHA Inspections
Introduction
Every employer should strive to maintain a good OSHA record. Not only are
customers, insurers, and others increasingly scrutinizing employers’ OSHA
records as a condition of doing business, but OSHA penalties and citations
can be substantial – as much as $70,000 for a single willful or repeat
violation. Citations and penalties not only impact a company’s bottom line,
but also its ability to do business.
New Driver Hours of Service Rules in Place
Revised hours-of-service (HOS) rules announced by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) are now in place. The new rule reduces to 70 hours – a 12-hour reduction – the number of hours a driver can work during a seven-day week, but keeps the 11-hour daily driving limit – a move strongly opposed by the American Trucking Assn. (ATA).
To 1BY, Or Not To 1BY
By Lisa Prince, Walter & Prince, LLP - February 4, 2011
Due to overwhelming demand, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has printed a limited supply of new safety decals for rough terrain forklifts. This new decal - "Employer-Certified Operators ONLY" - was developed by AEM and approved by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The decal signifies that the machine should be operated only by personnel who have received employer certification of training and evaluation according to relevant OSHA standards.Cal/OSHA Encourages All Employers to Verify Inspector's Credentials
The California Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is investigating several incidents involving a man impersonating a Cal/OSHA inspector and suspected of defrauding restaurant owners. Several similar incidents have occurred across Southern California, in the costal region near Santa Barbara and in Roseville. An investigation is ongoing and is being coordinated with local law enforcement where the incidents occurred.