Regulations, Fines Stiffened for Worker Safety Violators

Beginning this month, employers cited by investigators from the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health face tougher rules and increased fines for violations of state worker safety regulations.

The new rules go into effect as a result of the enactment of a 1989 bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Greene (D-Los Angeles), chairman of the Industrial Relations Committee. They require that a cited employer correct a worker safety hazard and submit a signed statement saying so to Cal/OSHA within 10 days--or face a doubled fine. Thereafter, if still no statement is filed, state investigators will conduct a reinspection within 45 days, which could result in an additional fine for failure to remove the hazard.

The main aim of the new rules is to require employers to eliminate worker safety hazards more quickly, Cal/OSHA officials said.

There’s an age problem attached to a Senate-passed bill to establish a 25-m.p.h. speed limit when passing a senior citizens center while the elderly are going to and from the facility.

Opponents noted that the Department of Transportation warned that the law would require a motorist, and ultimately a law enforcement officer, “to determine whether any given pedestrian is a senior citizen and, indeed, what age constitutes senior status.”

Sponsor Sen. Quentin Kopp (I-San Francisco) defended his measure (SB 1860) by arguing that the safety of senior citizens outweighs the concerns of the opposition. A 24-6 vote sent the legislation to the Assembly, which will continue to wrestle with the problem. ASSEMBLY Committee Action State government office hours: The Governmental Efficiency and Consumer Protection Committee approved a bill (AB 2757) by Assemblywoman Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) to set up a pilot project under which some state agencies would remain open to the public until 8 p.m. one day a week. A 9-0 vote sent the bill to the Ways and Means Committee. The same committee also approved another bill (AB 3167) by Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (D-South San Francisco) to require most state agencies to be open to the public during the lunch hour. An 8-0 vote sent this bill to the Ways and Means Committee. Bill Introductions

Death penalty: AB 4366 by Assemblyman John Burton (D-San Francisco) would abolish the death penalty as punishment for first-degree murder in California. SENATE Committee Action Appointment: The Rules Committee appointed Daniel Boatwright (D-Concord) new chairman of the Business and Professions Committee, replacing former Sen. Joseph B. Montoya, who resigned from the Senate after his conviction on political corruption charges.

Measles: The Health and Welfare Committee approved a bill (SB 2266) by Sen. Becky Morgan (R-Los Altos Hills) to appropriate $11.8 million for increased immunization of children to protect them against measles. The money would be used to purchase and administer vaccine to help cope with the current measles epidemic that has hit particularly hard in Southern California and Fresno County. A 6-0 vote sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee. Miscellany

Drug war forfeitures: Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp reported that law enforcement officers seized more than $56 million in cash, cars, boats, airplanes and real estate from illegal drug traffickers last year. Van de Kamp said more than $27 million of those assets has already been allocated to local agencies for their continuing war on drugs. Capital Fact

Gov. George Deukmejian receives an average of 6,000 letters a week, or more than 300,000 letters a year. His office says that staff members answer all of them.