Two owners of a San Francisco roofing company are on their way to jail, following the death of an employee who fell from a roof. During the investigation into the employee’s death, Cal/OSHA discovered that there were absolutely no safety measures in place at the worksite; no workers wore fall protection and there were no railings, scaffolds or other barriers to prevent employees from falling several stories to the ground below. In addition to fining the company over $70,000 for the egregious violations of Cal/OSHA regulations, the San Francisco District Attorney’s office also prosecuted the owners and sought jail time. Now the owners will be spending one year in county jail for their blatant disregard for their workers’ safety (Cal/OSHA press release, 5/23/11).
 
Tips: Don’t let this happen to you! Employee safety should always be a top concern, but if you need more incentive for complying with safety regulations, keep in mind that willful violations can result in stiff penalties and jail time. To make sure you’re doing everything you can to comply, call your Vigilant safety professional.

Hot sun and no shade? Check. Long hours of physical labor? Check. Non-breathable clothing and no water? Check. Sounds like you’ve got everything you need for a heat illness!

As summer approaches, employees who work outdoors in direct sunlight or in hot environments are increasingly susceptible to heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion or the more serious heat stroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke include confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature and hot, dry skin.

Employers in California and Washington are required to protect workers by following their state’s heat illness prevention rule, but all employers should help employees stay healthy by providing plenty of water and frequent rest periods in a cool recovery area. Check out OSHA’s fact sheets, “Protecting Workers from Effects of Heat” and “Working Outdoors in Warm Climates,” and call your Vigilant safety professional for more heat illness prevention information and recommendations.

Four more substances, including wood dust, have been added to California’s official list of carcinogens and reproductive toxicants under Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. On December 18, 2009, the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment announced that it was adding wood dust and zidovudine (AZT) to the list as substances that can cause cancer, and adding tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) and ethyl-tert-butyl ether (EBTE) as substances that can cause birth defects.  Businesses must provide warnings whenever workers or the public are exposed to substances on the Proposition 65 list. An example warning is available on our website.