Health and Safety Plan Templates Are Not Always a Good Idea

If you own a business that has employees, you are subject to the requirements of OSHA (both state and federal) and other regulatory agencies. Sometimes, the red tape can get so thick that businesses are fined for violating regulations they weren’t even aware of. Such was the case with a business owner cited for violations… Read more »

Workplace Temperature Regulations: Cal/OSHA Takes the Lead

Workplace temperature regulations are difficult to find — but that doesn’t stop workers from dying of heat-related illness, and it doesn’t stop your company from being found negligent in the duty you have to protect your people. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimate puts the annual death rate from heat-related conditions in… Read more »

Multifamily Property Owners Can Benefit from the SB 721 Inspection

California multifamily property owners have until January 1, 2025 to complete the first inspection required under SB 721. That bill requires all exterior elevated elements (EEE) be examined for safety. Elements affected are those designed for human use that have a walking surface elevated more than six feet above ground and are constructed of load-bearing… Read more »

Asbestos in Construction Materials Testing: Critical Information

Here’s something many people who should know … don’t know: Agencies that approve building and demolition permits require property owners to either presume asbestos is present in the construction materials or to conduct construction materials testing for asbestos to prove it is not. Despite the seriousness of the matter — potential fines, loss of time,… Read more »

How Recent Changes to RRP Rules Affect Property Management

Renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) rules were created by the EPA to protect building occupants and workers from the hazard of “lead poisoning.” Other federal and local bodies are also concerned about the dangers of lead in construction, making it all more important to be aware of the pertinent regulations before beginning a project in… Read more »

Construction Site Safety Blind Spots

Projects need to be completed within the budget and on time. That pressure can contribute to overlooking risks and a failure to recognize or correct unsafe conditions. The consequences of succumbing to that pressure are real and can sometimes be catastrophic to the lives of workers and their families. Fatalities in construction occupations rose six… Read more »

Silica in Construction, 3 Years Later: What We’ve Learned

OSHA announced the final rule concerning worker protection from occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica in March of 2016. Enforcement of the standard began in September of 2017.  That rule provides two options for compliance: Employers can either assess exposure and implement controls on a task-by-task basis to ensure exposure falls below the permissible exposure… Read more »

Maintaining Asbestos & Lead Certifications during COVID-19 “Shelter-in-Place” Restrictions

Although the shelter-in-place order is still in effect in the state of California, Cal-OSHA & CDPH will not be extending lead and asbestos certification deadlines. Refresher trainings and renewal applications will still need to be completed before your certifications expire in order to maintain your status. The challenge: how do you complete training with shelter-in-place restrictions? The… Read more »

California Lead in Construction Rules Are Changing Soon

These Changes Will Affect Every General Contractor, Trade Contractor, Maintenance Team, and Custodial Crew in California Cal/OSHA has been working for over eight years to revise its Lead in Construction (8 CCR 1532.1) and Lead in General Industry standards (8 CCR 5198).  The current laws were essentially copied from federal regulations and have been in… Read more »

The Hidden Factor That Can Sink a Construction Project

Put yourself in this situation: Excavation is underway at the construction site when a recently-hired laborer complains of an “odd smell” in the air. Nobody else on the crew senses anything unusual, so work continues. The next day, the employee calls in sick with a severe headache. He says he’s afraid it’s related to whatever… Read more »

PCB Assessments Required for Building Demolitions: Important Changes to Note

Beginning July 1, 2019, property owners, demolition contractors, real estate developers, and anyone planning to demolish a structure built or remodeled between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1980 in the San Francisco Bay Area will face stringent new permit requirements aimed at reducing the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) entering San Francisco Bay. These… Read more »

When Is an Asbestos Survey Required?

You could save yourself hundreds of thousands of dollars by getting this right. True or False: The U.S. completely banned the use of asbestos in building materials in 1989. That means any commercial building constructed in 1990 or later poses no asbestos risk. Consequently, you don’t need to worry about getting an asbestos survey prior… Read more »