Cal/OSHA Compliance Advisor

Implementing New GHS Changes: What Does it Mean for You?

GHS is a Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals, and it's about to affect your workplace. Even though you've probably had an effective and compliant a href="http://saf

Online Exclusive: Sample Policy for Employee Participation in Incident Investigations

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB)--which investigates the root causes of catastrophic chemical incidents--recently released a new policy on employee participation in those investigations. Like many employers, the CSB already included employees in its incident investigations; the new policy is intended to assure uniformity and increase employee participation.

DOL withdraws proposed revision to child labor laws for agriculture

In the February issue of COCA, we told you about the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) proposed revisions to its agricultural employment rules for minors. The proposed revisions included a rul

NIOSH and federal OSHA launch national campaign for construction fall prevention

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are joining forces with CPWR—The Center for Construction Res

Worksite health promotion program reduces absenteeism

A study reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that comprehensive workplace health promotion programs can reduce absenteeism. Researchers

Heat Illness Prevention: DOSH Waves the Red-Hot Red Flag; What You Need To Know About the High Heat

It's June, and in much of California, that means it's hot. If you have employees who work outdoors, your heat illness prevention program should already be up and running. And as the summer progresses and the heat intensifies, employers in some industries will need to pay special attention to their extreme heat procedures.

Appeals Board Decisions: OSHAB Says No Conflict Between Mine and General Industry Safety Orders; G

Under Section 342(a) of the Cal/OSHA administrative rules, California employers that fail to report the "serious injury or illness, or death, of an employee occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment" to Cal/OSHA within eight hours of learning of it will be hit with a mandatory $5,000 penalty. That's on top of any citations the agency issues as a result of its post-incident inspection.

Reporting: Does DOSH Know What You're Doing? 4 Standards That Require You to Keep Cal/OSHA in the L

All California employers are required to notify the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) if a worker suffers a serious injury or illness, or is killed, on the job. But injury and illness reports are not the only time you're required to tell DOSH what's going on at your worksite. You also must notify DOSH about the following hazardous exposures in your workplace.

Hazardous Chemicals: DOSH Updates Guidance on Lead in Construction; Know the Compliance Triggers

Lead is one of the most common chemical exposures in industry and a leading cause of workplace illness. It is also a serious public health risk. Children are at high risk for lead poisoning, particularly children under the age of 6, and parents who work with lead may not realize that they can expose their children by carrying lead dust home on their clothes.

Enforcement: New Federal OSHA NEP Targets Nursing and Residential Care Facilities; What Inspectors

When you think of dangerous jobs, does logging come to mind? Highway work? Commercial fishing? What about � nursing?

Trainer's Handbook: Set Up Your Summer Staffers for Safety; Basic Safety Orientation for Teen Work

If you are hiring young workers for the summer months, it's important to keep them safe. With their combination of eagerness and inexperience, young workers can put themselves at increased risk of injury when compared with newly hired adults. This basic safety orientation can help your young workforce stay out of harm's way.

Featured Resource: Time's Up: Now What Do We Do with All of These Records?

It can take decades for an illness caused by a work-related exposure to manifest. That's why Cal/OSHA requires employers to retain records of employee exposures to toxic substances and harmful physical agents for decades.

Cal/OSHA Compliance For Supervisors - June 2012 Issue

In This Issue: The Health Threats of Shift Work; 10 Rules for Safe Handling of Hazardous Materials; What Does It Take to Build a Strong Safety Culture?; Train Your Employees to Protect Their Eyes

Cal/OSHA Inspections: Are You at Risk?

Considering whether your safety program is truly prepared for a Cal/OSHA inspection at any moment can keep even the best safety managers up at night. How do you make sure you've covered all of your bases? How do you know whether you're at risk? It can help to know where the greatest risk of inspection lies.

Keeping Teen Workers Safe

If you're an employer that takes on seasonal workers in the summer, it's likely you employ teen workers. But teen workers have less life and job experience than their adult counterparts, and their brains, including the decision-making centers, are still developing. For these reasons, teen workers need extra attention to ensure that they work safely. Here are some tips to help you keep your teen workers safe.

Drug and Alcohol Testing in California: Effective Strategies That Protect Your Company and Your Empl

California Employer Resources Safety Webinar
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
10:30 a.m. to Noon (Pacific)

An effective drug and alcohol testing program is one of an employer's best weapons, but making sure you abide by the requirements of various California and federal laws can get tremendously complicated. How can you establish an effective program that doesn't cause potential legal headaches down the road?

Hazardous Waste Management in California: Smart Strategies for Cost-Effective Compliance

California Employer Resources Safety Webinar
Friday, June 29, 2012
10:30 a.m. to Noon (Pacific)

Managing hazardous waste at California facilities is complicated, to say the least. The cost of compliance is rising. And state agencies and local CUPAs are heading down a path of increasingly aggressive enforcement. If you don't have a clear understanding of the applicable regulations and enforcement agencies, you won't be able to identify effective compliance options that reduce liability and save costs.

The Heat Is On: 3 Myths About Heat Illness

Every year in California, workers die and are injured by heat-related illnesses. Now, before the heat sets in, is the time to learn about these easily prevented illnesses and injuries and properly prepare to protect your employees from them. The first step is to recognize the following common misconceptions.

Eye Protection for Outdoor Workers

Like indoor workers, outdoor workers can be exposed to a number of eye hazards--but the need for eye protection for these workers is often overlooked. Here are some hazards you should evaluate when it comes to providing eye protection for your outdoor workers.

Online Exclusive: Sample Voluntary Respirator Use Policy

In many workplaces, hazards from air contaminants are not generally present at levels that require respiratory protection, so respirators are not part of the personal protective equipment regularly used.