Revisions to Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standard withdrawn

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board unanimously voted Wednesday night to withdraw revisions to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standard seven days after they were approved.

On June 3, the board unanimously approved revisions to the ETS that took effect on Dec. 1, 2020, after a contentious nine-hour meeting; those revisions were then sent to the Office of Administrative Law for review.

The special meeting Wednesday was held to consider the latest masking guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health, Cal/OSHA said in a statement.

The board said it will consider new revisions at a future meeting, possibly as early as its scheduled June 17 meeting. In the meantime, the Dec. 1 ETS rules will remain in effect for employers in the state.

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.