Cal/OSHA conducts 305 heat inspections- first state to develop heat regulation in '05

The Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) last week conducted their largest ever heat enforcement effort per Governor Schwarzenegger’s direction and in response to increased heat across all regions of the state. The inspections, which were conducted Monday through Saturday, involved up to as many as 43 teams a day statewide. Two farm operations were shut down for serious violations of the heat illness prevention standard that posed an imminent hazard to the employees working in excessive heat.

“Due to the extreme heat experienced last week we mobilized the largest ever enforcement action in Cal/OSHA history,” said DIR Director John C. Duncan. “Our effort to protect workers from the high temperatures and ensure compliance by employers was a success. As was evidenced by our results, the outreach and enforcement efforts conducted this year are paying off. We are seeing a higher level of compliance by employers which has been our goal from day one.”

The week long enforcement action resulted in a total of 305 inspections conducted statewide. Cal/OSHA investigators encountered heat related violations at 91 outdoor work sites. For those work sites with heat related violations, 50 were construction work sites, 39 were in the agricultural industry, one was a recycling business and one a car wash. A total of 119 heat related violations were observed.

“Gaining compliance from employers is the goal to successfully reducing the number of illnesses and fatalities for all outdoor workers,” added Duncan. “In 2006, employer compliance with this new regulation was at 32.5% and last year was at 65%. This year we are seeing employer compliance above 80% which we expect to increase next year due to education and enforcement efforts.”

Under Governor Schwarzenegger's leadership, California became the first state in the nation to develop a safety and health regulation addressing heat illness in 2005. Cal/OSHA issued permanent heat illness prevention regulations to protect outdoor workers in 2006.

Source:
California Department of Industrial Relations September 28