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Cal/OSHA, Corps and advocates outline worker-safety steps as cleanup continues
Summary
State and federal officials told a joint legislative hearing that outreach, on-site monitoring and enforcement are under way to protect workers involved in wildfire cleanup, while community groups warned language gaps and unregistered contractors leave some workers vulnerable.
California occupational-safety officials, federal recovery staff and worker advocates told a joint Senate–Assembly hearing that they are deploying outreach, monitoring and enforcement to protect workers who are doing fire cleanup and rebuilding in Los Angeles.
Cal/OSHA’s chief, Deborah Lee, told the committees the agency has mobilized staff, bilingual materials and field teams to educate employers and workers about hazards related to ash, soot, demolition and debris work. “Workers performing wildfire cleanup may potentially be exposed to hazards such as slips and trip hazards, heat illness related exposures and respiratory hazards,” Lee said. “Employers are required to establish an effective plan to identify hazards on the site and communicate them to workers, provide workers with proper personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection, and ensure that workers have completed a 40‑hour hazardous waste operation and emergency response training.”
Why it matters: Workers in cleanup and early rebuilding face airborne particulates, asbestos risks and typical construction hazards. The failure to reach affected…
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