"To save lives, the Governor's Office could issue an emergency declaration pausing the processing of artificial stone until a permanent ban is pursued through rulemaking, according to a Sept. 4 memorandum obtained by KQED. Drafted by a committee of doctors, occupational safety experts and worker advocates convened by Cal/OSHA, the letter was addressed to the state board responsible for adopting new workplace safety regulations, but was not sent."
"A spokesperson with the Department of Industrial Relations, which oversees press requests for both Cal/OSHA and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, said the draft had not been vetted. "The memo referenced ... is an incomplete working draft by the Silica Technical Committee and not by Cal/OSHA. None of the recommendations are final," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Cal/OSHA continually works to protect the health and safety of California's workers and enforces all regulations adopted by the Board.""
An emergency declaration could pause processing of artificial stone while a permanent ban is pursued through rulemaking. A committee of doctors, occupational safety experts and worker advocates convened by Cal/OSHA drafted recommendations advising such actions but did not send them to the state board responsible for workplace safety regulations. Gov. Gavin Newsom's press office did not respond to requests about a ban on engineered stone in fabrication shops. The Department of Industrial Relations said the draft had not been vetted and characterized it as an incomplete working draft; Cal/OSHA enforces adopted regulations. Several board members have expressed dismay at rising silicosis cases, yet the next board agenda lacks decision-making on artificial stone. Community organizers report minimal progress protecting stoneworkers inhaling engineered stone dust, and surveys show Los Angeles County as the state's silicosis epicenter.
Read at Kqed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]