In my earlier blog, I mentioned I was able to participate in a Cal/OSHA Consultation visit with one of our clients. The visit was very informative and the Consultation Officer was very helpful. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the things he observed and recommended in hopes that it may benefit others.

The very first thing he asked for was the agency’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Fortunately, I had previously worked with the client on using the sample IIPP that was developed by BRS. We had modified it to meet the needs of the agency and the Consultation Officer thought it was well-written and that it would pass scrutiny from Cal/OSHA. This was a very nice endorsement of our IIPP and it was nice to hear that if a company used our sample IIPP and modified it to their operation, that Cal/OSHA would not have issues with it. In case you haven’t seen it, or need one, the IIPP can be found in the Members Only section of your pool’s risk control website page. Just remember, it must be modified to meet your agencies operations because that is what Cal/OSHA will hold you to.

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I recently had the opportunity to participate in a Cal/OSHA Consultation visit with one of our clients. I know what many of you are thinking; if Cal/OSHA is coming to my facility it can’t be good a thing. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong in this instance and I’ll explain why.

Most of us are familiar with the Enforcement Division of Cal/OSHA. You are likely to see them show up unannounced at your facility when they respond to serious injuries,...

I attended the COEH Lela Morris Annual Symposium 2012 on Friday, March 2, 2012, The symposium was co-sponsored by the Cal PREPARE Research Center, Center for Infectious Diseases & Emergency Readiness, UC Berkeley School of Public Health. The speakers were excellent and included Dr. John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), who is also the former director of Cal/OSHA, as the keynote speaker. This was one of the best symposiums I have attended. It summarized many important considerations. Some interesting “take-aways” include information you may already be aware of, and if not, will be helpful in understanding the challenges involved in having workable emergency action plans plans:

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Ellen Widess was eloquent during the February 9 Advisory Committee Meeting on the Cal/OSHA Confined Space Emphasis Program when she described the 7 confined space fatalities in 2011 and the tragic and unnecessary loss of life. Zero confined space fatalities will be Cal/OSHA’s mission in 2012...

That time of year is here again! We had very few questions about Cal/OSHA Recordkeeping this year, which I hope is a good sign that everyone was prepared.

If you posted your Cal/OSHA Form 300A yesterday, February 1st, congratulations! If not, then do your best to get it up as soon as possible.

Remember to create and post a Form 300A for each of your recordkeeping establishments and keep them up through April 30th in areas where employees...

During the conference in October, John Duncan, former Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations, warned there appears to be some indications the new administration at Cal/OSHA could be less employer friendly and more enforcement oriented.  This comment was based on an excerpt from a recent memo sent by Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess to DOSH staff regarding the first 100 days of her appointment stating, "In just three months, thanks to your good work, we’ve sent a powerful message about the importance of compliance to all employers in California..."

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New Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess is serious about enforcement and is holding no prisoners when it comes to the heat illness regulation.  Check out the most recent news release http://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2011/IR2011-13.html.

“Our program will be strategic, focusing on workers at highest risk in outdoor industries such as agriculture, construction, landscaping...

One of our BRS risk control managers learned that two police departments she works with in the Bay Area were recently cited for lack of controls for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exposure.  (See the links below for the definition of MRSA and additional information.)  It’s important for police to have department-specific procedures in their injury and illness prevention program (IIPP), including cleaning and disinfection procedures. ...

I just got off the phone with Employer Smith. I have never talked to him before; he had seen our website and just called with a "quick question." I should have told him that there are few quick answers in the law. "I have this form that Cal/OSHA is saying I have to fill out," he said. "I have it all done but a friend just told me I should talk to a lawyer before sending it in." I immediately flashed back to the webinar Amy Martin, Chief of Cal/OSHA's...