HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02021988 - S.1 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Sunne Wright McPeak }
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Introduced January 26 , 1988 , for CM7LQ
DATE*
Action on February 2 , COJ .`J 1988 � V
SUBJECT: Coalition to Restore Safety at Work Initiative
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
The Board of Supervisors support the "Coalition to Restore
Safety at Work" and its drive to collect enough signatures
to place an initiative on the ballot to restore Cal-OSHA,,
our state' s respected Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.
BACKGROUND
In 1987, the Governor cut the funding in the state budget
for Cal-OSHA in the private sector which protected people
from death, illness and injuries. It was argued that
workers would be protected just as well by Federal-OSHA, yet
the facts prove that not to be true. For instance:
• During the three months from July to September, 1987,
Federal-OSHA conducted 54 inspections of workplace
accidents. Cal-OSHA performed 761 such inspections
during the same period in 1986 . The reason for the
decline is that Federal-OSHA only inspects if a worker
dies or if five or more are hospitalized. Cal-OSHA
must inspect every occupational accident.
• Cal-OSHA could immediately shut down dangerous work
sites if imminent hazards threatened lives. Federal-
OSHA must go to court before it can act. Cal-OSHA
inspectors could respond to anonymous phone tips on
violations. Federal-OSHA only investigtes when formal
written and signed complaints are filed. Labor,
business, health and environmental groups agree
Cal-OSHA did a better job of protecting people at work.
i Cancer-causing materials and poisons are in the air.
Toxics which harm workers often don' t stop at plant
gates. Nearby communities can also be contaminated.
Cal-OSHA protected Californians from 170 harmful
chemicals which the federal government doesn' t even
regulate. And federal standards for 97 other dangerous
toxics are inferior to protections Cal-OSHA enforced.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT; XX YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON 14 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT �— AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN.
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE FEB 2 D 1988
1ATE SHOWN. .
cc: County, Administrator ATTESTED -
oard Members' PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Central Labor Council SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY �/ ,DEPUTY
M382/7-83
Coalition to Restore Safety at Work
Page 2
• Only Cal-OSHA banned use of the infamous short-handled
hoe which crippled generations of California farm
workers.
• Eliminating Cal-OSHA will save the state $6 . 8 million a
year . . . out of a state budget of $42 billion a year.
Cal-OSHA only costs 25 cents for every Californian.
• The initiative to restore Cal-OSHA is not a tax
increase. It won' t mean more government regulation --
just the same higher standard of protection
Californians once enjoyed.
• In fact, Cal-OSHA saved money. A spokesman for a major
insurance company testified that a 1 percent rise in
workers' compensation claims could cost business $50
million a year in increased insurance premiums. Who
pays for job-related accidents and illnesses? Business
pays; and when business pays, so do consumers.
• Cal-OSHA also saved the taxpayers money. Fewer deaths
and injuries meant fewer disabled workers and destitute
families trying to survive on Medi-Cal and welfare.