All articles tagged with #calosha
California is preparing to ban the manufacturing and fabrication of quartz countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. This move follows a surge in silicosis cases among workers, with 662 diagnosed cases since 2019. The state aims to protect laborers from incurable lung disease, potentially becoming the first US state to restrict the material.
California is preparing to become the first U.S. state to ban the manufacturing and fabrication of engineered stone countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. This emergency regulation, expected to be finalized in October 2026, follows a surge in fatal lung disease cases among workers. The move aims to protect laborers from silica dust exposure, which causes irreversible lung scarring, while acknowledging that existing safety standards have failed to prevent widespread illness.
Five men were injured, one seriously, when scaffolding and LCD displays collapsed during event setup at Summit Skywalker Ranch in Marin County. A severely injured worker with a head injury was transported to a hospital in very serious condition; one person trapped under LCD screens was freed and treated on scene, and three others were transported to local hospitals. The incident is under investigation by Cal/OSHA, with multiple fire agencies responding and the area cleared by 1:31 p.m.
Cal/OSHA fined Blackbird Mountain Guides $151,300 for a February backcountry avalanche near Castle Peak that killed nine people, citing willful-serious and other safety violations such as failing to correct an imminent avalanche hazard, inadequate hazard assessment, insufficient training, inadequate protective equipment assessment, and failure to report fatalities; the company plans to appeal and contends it operated within safety standards amid the challenging backcountry conditions.
A California state study documents a surge in silicosis among workers exposed to silica dust from engineered quartz countertops, reporting 631 cases and 31 deaths since 2019, with about half of victims in Los Angeles County and a median age of 52; 65 lung transplants have occurred, and 151 cases have already been diagnosed this year (40 in the last month). Regulators say compliance with safety standards is poor and CAL/OSHA is weighing a ban on quartz countertops to curb the outbreak, following emergency standards implemented in 2023.
A 13-year-old guest exited a moving log on Disneyland's Tiana's Bayou Adventure on June 21, causing the ride to stop; the teen reportedly slid down the 50-foot waterfall and was taken to a hospital as a precaution before being released. California safety regulators (Cal/OSHA) inspected the ride the next morning and cleared it to reopen, with no changes announced to safety restraints or procedures.
California faces a rising silicosis crisis among workers who cut and polish engineered quartz countertops; the incurable disease can develop after as little as two years of exposure. More than 500 Californians who work with the material have contracted the disease (median age 46), with over 50 needing lung transplants and 29 deaths. Cal/OSHA has tightened processing rules, while lawsuits mount against slab makers and retailers. Advocates push for a ban or licensing; opponents say safety controls can work. The burden disproportionately affects Latino immigrant men, as shown by Oakland’s Jose Peña.
California's Occupational Health and Safety Standards Board has approved new rules to protect indoor workers from extreme heat, requiring employers to provide cool break areas at 82°F and adjust work conditions at 87°F. This regulation, affecting about 1.4 million workers, aims to address the urgent public health crisis posed by rising temperatures due to climate change. The rule could be implemented by early August, though some employer groups have raised concerns about compliance costs.