Safety Seminar reports on Cal/OSHA regulation updates
Twenty Bay Area SMACNA members attended the free Safety Seminar on October 3, presented by CAL SMACNA’s Safety Consultant Steve Bowers, CSP, CIT, President of Global Safety Management Consultants.
Participants met in the Bay Area SMACNA Training Room to review the new and upcoming safety regulations. See below for a summary of the Cal/OSHA updates covered.
Injury Reporting
• Employees in construction with 20-249 workers must use the 300A form for injury reporting.
• Recordable injuries include fatalities, work-related medical treatments or illnesses beyond first aid, and certain work-related diagnosed illnesses.
• Failing to report injuries that require hospitalization to Cal/OSHA within eight hours results in citations.
Indoor Heat Illness Regulations• Effective July 23, 2024; applies when indoor temperatures exceed certain thresholds.
• Requires suitably cool water provision and monitoring of workers for symptoms.
• Training on heat illness signs and first aid is essential, with documentation required.
Workplace Violence Prevention
• Implement a comprehensive plan prohibiting retaliation and conduct violence assessments.
• Four types of workplace violence include external threats, customer-related, internal employee and personal relationships.
• Maintain logs and assign responsibility for the prevention plan.
New Lead Standard
• Effective January 1, 2025; significantly lowers permissible exposure limits from 50 to 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air and lowers the action level from 30 to 2 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
• Requires air monitoring and compliance programs to prevent overexposure to lead.
OSHA’s Focus Four Hazards
• Falls: Emphasize fall protection and mitigate complacency among workers.