It seems like only yesterday that we were writing about the top stories of 2023. But that was one fast-moving year ago, and now it’s time to look back at 2024, which flew by and took us with it. It was a consequential year for workplace safety in California, with echoes into the new year. …
California’s Office of Administrative Law has approved Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat illness prevention regulation. The controversial regulation is now in effect. General Industry Safety Orders §3396 standard applies to most indoor workplaces, including warehouses, restaurants, and manufacturing facilities. Emergency operations and correctional facilities are exempted from the requirements. Cal/OSHA’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health plans …
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has adopted Fed-OSHA respirator fit-testing procedures, which are designed to simplify things for employers while maintaining employee safety. The rulemaking change now goes to the Office of Administrative Law and will take effect as soon as OAL approves it. The regulatory change is to General Industry Safety Orders §5144, Appendix A, …
The state Office of Administrative Law has rejected Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat illness prevention regulatory proposal because it lacks an approved fiscal impact statement—Form 399. The rejection was expected and required by law. The California Department of Finance objected to the standard at the last minute, citing what it describes as excessive costs for California’s prisons …
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has unanimously adopted revisions to the Title 8 silica standard that are intended to protect workers in the engineered stone industry. If approved as expected by …