WHATS NEW?
New Air Quality Safety Rules for the Industry in California
In response to the devastating wildfires of last year, the Cal/OSHA Standard Board adopted new rules for employers with employees who work outside for more than 1 hour a day. If the AQI level gets above 150, the employer must provide NIOSH 95 masks for all employees to wear on a voluntary basis. If the PM 2.5 level reaches 500, the employees must be fit tested for their masks and medically evaluated. Masks in this instance MUST be worn by the workers.
While most of us will never be in an area where the AQI level is 500, we may well be in any area where the rate exceeds 150.
While this topic does not relate directly to prevailing wages, we thought this is an important enough topic that it should be shared with our clients. Be sure you have N95 masks in the office and available on the jobsite. And, anytime there is a "Spare the Air Day", be sure to check the AQI levels. Be sure to measure the AQI through a government website and not through the Weather Channel or other private resource.
This regulation is effective July 29, 2019 through January 28, 2020 with up to 2 extensions of 90 days each. By then, the legislature may have acted to make the regulation permanent.
New Craft Determination issued for Graffiti Removal Workers in 12 Southern California Counties
The Department of Industrial Relations issued a new wage classification earlier this week. The classification of Graffiti Removal Worker is a subset of the Painter's classification and applies to the task of painting over the graffiti. The wage rates range from $15 - $21 an hour and the total package from $23.14-$29.14. This rate will be available for all work advertised for bid on or after September 13, 2019. The classification is NOT apprenticeable. To view this
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