On July 24, 2024, California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced that the Indoor Heat Illness Prevention regulation, which the Cal/OSHA Standards Board unanimously approved on June 20, 2024, would take effect...more
7/29/2024
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Heat Exposure ,
Labor Reform ,
New Regulations ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) ,
Severe Weather ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
The regular monthly meeting of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board on March 21, 2024 was anything but regular. The agenda had included voting on a proposed indoor heat illness prevention standard that has been under development for...more
On September 30, 2023, California enacted SB 553, the first general industry workplace violence prevention safety requirements in the United States that will be applicable to nearly all California employers, with very few...more
On February 3, 2023, California’s Office of Administrative Law approved Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Non-Emergency Regulation (NER). The NER is now the operative COVID-19 regulation for most California employers. Cal/OSHA also...more
2/7/2023
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Regulations ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
During a meeting of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board on November 17, 2022, Cal/OSHA’s Chief Deputy for Health and Research Standards unequivocally stated that no further modifications will be made to the proposed non-emergency...more
11/22/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
On October 13, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued an order effective October 14, 2022, updating the definition of close contact under the Third Revised COVID Emergency Temporary Standard and...more
At its meeting on September 15, 2022, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board held a public hearing on a proposed non-emergency COVID-19 standard. The hearing and subsequent Board discussion during the meeting demonstrated that there...more
9/19/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Hearing ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Standards ,
State OSHA Laws ,
Workplace Safety
On September 15, 2022, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA or “the Division”) published Guidance on Protecting Workers from Monkeypox (MPX). The guidance applies to workplaces covered by the...more
On June 8, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued an Order (June 8th Order) defining “Close Contact” and “Infectious Period” for purposes of the CDPH’s Isolation and Quarantine Guidance issued on April...more
6/17/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
CDPH ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Workplace Safety
On May 7, 2022, Cal/OSHA issued updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to the third readoption of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (3rd Revised ETS), which was approved April 21, 2022, and is now in effect. The...more
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA or “the Division”) Standards Board met on April 21, 2022, and formally approved the third readoption of its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (“3rd Revised...more
On April 6, 2022, Cal/OSHA issued a draft COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for readoption to replace the current version, which expires on May 5, 2022. The readopted ETS would be the fourth version of the ETS,...more
Effective March 1, 2022, there is no longer a hard requirement under the Cal/OSHA statewide Emergency Temporary Standard (CA ETS) or any other statewide requirement for employers to require unvaccinated persons (or fully...more
3/4/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
On December 16, 2021, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (the “Standards Board”) adopted its second set of proposed revisions to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19...more
12/20/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Rules ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
It has been a difficult couple of months for California employers seeking to navigate planning for possible changes to their workplace safety plans, in view of multiple new sources of potential obligations. ...more
11/22/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Preemption ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Among the many new California bills signed into law this session are two that amend the state’s workplace safety laws. Senate Bill (SB) 606 creates new classes of health and safety violations and dramatically increases...more
10/19/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
On September 17, 2021, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) released for discussion initial draft text for proposed permanent COVID-19 regulations, which if adopted would be subject to renewal...more
9/22/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On June 17, 2021, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board), voted and passed its latest set of proposed revisions, with a 5 to 1 vote, to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s...more
On June 11, 2021, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board) released its latest set of proposed revisions to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency...more
6/14/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On January 8, 2021, Cal/OSHA issued a much-awaited second set of FAQs to its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS). The following are ten key takeaways...more
On December 18, 2020, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board)1 conducted a Stakeholders Meeting to address employer concerns about the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) issued...more
On November 19, 2020, over the vigorous objections of several employers, trade associations, employer agencies, and defense counsel, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously to pass the...more
On September 17, 2020, California doubled down on its efforts to keep non-remote employees safe from COVID-19 exposure. Governor Newsom signed AB 685, new legislation that allows the state to track COVID-19 cases in the...more
9/18/2020
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Governor Newsom ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Stop Work Orders
On June 5, 2020, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commonly known as Cal/OSHA, issued temporary emergency guidance to assist physicians and other licensed health care professionals (PLHCPs) balance...more
On June 5, 2020, the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Division), also known as Cal/OSHA, issued a hazard alert to health care facilities regarding the availability of COVID-19 personal protective...more