As a whole, all businesses want to avoid injuries at all costs. Many places have a set goal of how long they strive to go without any crew members getting hurt.
In order for a company to achieve its goal of no injuries occurring, all crew members have to pay attention to safety.
Attitude, planning, and following safety best practices can make a “zero injury workplace” a reality.
Click HERE to read more.
No later than July 1, 2024, covered California employers must implement extensive workplace violence prevention plans (WVPP) and deliver specified training to employees under new legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 30, 2023. In order to comply on time – including preparing plans that are “specific to the hazards and corrective measures for each work area” as required – employers will need to prepare early.
Senate Bill 533 adds section 6401.9 to the California Labor Code. The legislation is intended to help employers prevent and respond effectively to workplace violence. The legislature passed, and the Governor signed, the bill despite a full court press by the California Chamber of Commerce in opposition.
Workplace Violence Prevention Plans – The new law requires that plans be in writing and include, for example, the following:
Covered employers also must maintain written logs of workplace violence incidents that set forth a great deal of specified information.
Employer plans must “be in effect at all times and in all work areas”. Employers must ensure their plans are “available and easily accessible” to employees, union representatives, and agents from the California Occupational Health and Safety Administration (Cal/OSHA).
Newly Required Training of Employees – The employee training required under the new law must cover particular subjects, allow for “interactive questions and answers,” and be in “vocabulary [appropriate] to the educational level, literacy, and language of [the] employees.” Covered employers must deliver the training to all employees no later than July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter.
Cal/OSHA Enforcement – Cal/OSHA is charged with enforcing the new requirements. Cal/OSHA will have authority to issue notices to correct and civil penalties.
Employers Not Subject to the New Requirements – “All employers, employees, places of employment, and employer-provided housing” are subject to the new requirements, other than those that meet one of a few exemptions in section 6401.9. Exempt employers are the following: (1) places of employment where no more than nine employees are present at any one time and that are not accessible to the public; (2) employees working remotely from a place of their choosing and that their employer does not control; (3) certain health care facilities; and (4) certain law enforcement and correctional facilities.
SB 553 requires that by December 1, 2025, Cal/OSHA propose further standards for WVPPs for adoption by the Cal/OSHA Standards Board by December 31, 2026.
Construction sites are some of the most hazardous places to work in the world. Unfortunately, cuts to the hands and fingers account for the majority of laceration injuries on job sites today.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that cuts on hands and fingers result in over 110,000 lost time cases each year. The National Safety Council reports an average direct cost for laceration of the hand injuries account for $10,000 in company expenses and severed tendons can exceed $70,000.
Click HERE to read more.
You are invited to participate in a County of Sonoma solicitation. Review this information and use the URL below to login and bid on this solicitation.
Event Overview
Event Name: Bid Roadway for Repairs at Fort Ross Rd.
Description:
Sonoma County Public Infrastructure is soliciting bids for the Roadway Repairs at Fort Ross Road. FEMA PROJECT NO. 106231. The County requests that bidders submit their bids electronically in the Sonoma County Supplier Portal as further defined herein in the section titled “General Work Description,” below. Bidders shall submit the entire bid book and all other required documents in the bid submission. The County will open all Bids promptly following the deadline for receiving Bids and initially evaluate them for responsiveness, and determine an Apparent Low Bidder as specified herein. The Sonoma County Director of Public Infrastructure will review the bids and refer the bids to the Board of Supervisors to consider awarding the project within 60 to 90 days of the bid opening. QUESTIONS:Inquiries or questions based on alleged patent ambiguity of the plans, specifications or estimate must be communicated as a bidder inquiry prior to bid opening. Any such inquiries or questions, submitted after bid opening, will not be treated as a bid protest. Technical questions should be emailed to Stevan Hunter at spi-bid-inquiries@sonoma-county.org at the Sonoma County Public Infrastructure. Only questions received no later than 5:00 PM Tuesday April 2, 2024 will receive a response. An Addendum, if necessary, will post on the County’s Supplier Portal on Friday April 5, 2024. VIRTUAL MEETING:The bid opening will be held April 16, 2024, at 2:00pm online via Microsoft Teams platform. Please log on to the supplier portal to obtain meeting information. This can be found in the Notice to Bidders and Special Provisions Document. PREVAILING WAGE:The successful Bidder must comply with all prevailing wage laws applicable to the Project, and related requirements contained in the Contract Documents. This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. The successful Bidder must comply with all prevailing wage laws applicable to the Project, and related requirements contained in the Contract Documents. SUPPLIER PORTAL: Login to the County of Sonoma’s Supplier Portal to view the Bid and all supplemental documents. You must be registered in the County of Sonoma’s Supplier Portal ( https://esupplier.sonomacounty.ca.gov) to login and view, upload, and download all solicitation documents, and to submit electronic proposals or bids. It is incumbent upon all interested parties to check for any changes, including updates or addenda, by logging into the County’s Supplier Portal and reviewing the event. For any issues with the Supplier Portal please email: supplier-desk@sonoma-county.org
Event Details
Event Id: SC001-0000001807 Round 1 Version 1
Event Starts: 03/14/2024 9:15AM PDT
Event Ends: 04/16/2024 2:00AM PDT
Header Attachments: SupplierAccountManagementInstructionsADA.pdf, Supplier_Registration_Instructions_ADA.pdf, How_to_View_Solicitations_and_Submit_Bids_ADA.pdf, Bidder_Registration_Instructions_ADA.pdf,
Line Attachments: None
Event URL
Bid Roadway for repairs Fort Ross Rd. Click HERE
Bidder registration instructions Click HERE
How to view solicitations and submit bids Click HERE
Supplier account management instructions. Click HHERE
Supplier registration and instructions. Click HERE
As you may have noticed, the homeless population has increased in recent
years.
Having awareness of homeless people on construction sites can prevent tragic
accidents.
Click HERE to read more!
Have you ever seen someone walking down the street using their cell phone? They always appear to be in their own little world, not paying attention to anything around them. They bump into other people, trip over things they should have seen, and have been known to get hit by cars.
Click HERE to read more.
Accidents never just happen on their own- there is always something that causes the accident.
Sometimes there are multiple causes.
If we remove possible causes, we will drastically reduce the chances of an accident. If you learn to
recognize common accident causes, you can act before somebody gets hurt.
Click HERE to read more.
Pre-work stretching is an important part of any construction worker’s safety routine. By taking a few minutes to stretch before starting a job, workers can help prevent injuries and stay healthy on the job.
Click HERE to read more.
We use batteries to power our cars, trucks, tractors, forklifts, construction equipment, and power tools.
There are different types of batteries.
For example, a lead-acid battery usually uses sulfuric acid to create the intended reaction. Zinc-air batteries rely on oxidizing zinc with oxygen for the reaction. Potassium hydroxide is the electrolyte in common household alkaline batteries. The most common electrolyte in lithium batteries is a lithium salt solution.
Because of these chemical reactions, if you handle and recharge batteries, you should use caution and follow safe work practices.
Click HERE to read more.
The below link is the recently received information on the City of Santa Rosa and County of Sonoma Project Labor Agreements that could affect your businesses.
1. Here is the “official” PLA Agreement which I’m told, will be part of bid docs for City of Santa Rosa public works projects in excess of $500k. I’m told projects are coming out in very short order under the PLA and bid solicitations will incorporate the PLA requirements.
2. As to the Sonoma County PLA, that is being “negotiated” right now.
I’m told trucking is the main “sticking point” for the negotiators and it is likely that trucking issue won’t be resolved prior to May 21, which is the Supervisor Meeting the PLA will be publicly discussed. I’m also told that “scope of work” covered by the County PLA is being discussed as to including batch plants specifically furnishing materials to the project in question.
I hope this information is helpful to you.
If you have questions or comments, please contact me. I will send you contact information for the County negotiator, Yvonne Shu, if you want to send her a message regarding the County PLA. Please let me know if you want Yvonne’s contact information and I’m happy to forward her information to you.
Sincerely,
John Bly