CAL-OSHA and H20 Requirements

NickfromWI

NickfromWI

King of Splices
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
4,992
Location
Snowless California
So I just learned last week that Cal OSHA has a requirement for how much drinking water we have to haul on the truck. http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/etools/08-006/EWP_water.htm

Basically, it boils down to 2 gallons per worker per day. So a three guy crew, I gotta carry 6 gallons of water on the truck! Which means a 5 gallon igloo cooler technically isn't big enough!!!!!

:X

So anyway- I have NO room to put a 5 gallon igloo on the truck anywhere. We have lots of room for storage, but that space is well spoken for.

Anyone got any good ways to mount one on the chipper?

I'm thinking to put a 1 gallon container in one of the storage boxes, then mount the 5 gallon igloo on the chipper. Each guy typically has a water bottle with them, but I'd have some cheap backups in the truck in case they forgot on the day we got busted.

And for what it's worth, we keep 12-24 cans of pure coconut water on the truck at all times. We drink a lot of it and I know we don't have a problem with hydration. Word on the street is if Cal OSHA busts you, this is the FIRST thing they look for every time. I just need to keep the man off my back.

love
nick
 
I love coconut water myself , but I have a suggestion for your dilemma .......... get rid of your crew, and work on your own! ;)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4
Hah! I'd save a lot on coconut water, that's for sure!

I also learned that federal OSHA doesn't have jurisdiction in CA since Cal OSHA supercedes it.

We are also required to provide shade.
 
Buy or make a mount for the chipper. Mount was as much as the damn cooler for mine. But I have made them with 2" ABS pipe, a fixture fitting, 5 2" caps, 3-2" med 90s, some pipe clamps from CI pipe couplings.... Screws if necessary and a bungee....
 
looks like the one as much as the cooler I looked at.
I use the Gott coolers by Rubber Maid though, Screw on top. Less likely to pop off.
151700.jpg
 
That one organization supersedes another is a funny deal if you look at things like crane regulations...riding the hook. Why make a regulation that you deem imperative and then say that it is quite alright if some other regulatory body thinks differently? Are they trying to avert turf wars? The person that is at the forefront of the matter, working in the field, their opinion isn't worth shat.
 
I believe that OSHA cuts you slack with regard to illness and injury record keeping when less than eleven employees. Number of employees makes no difference as far as being under or not being under their jurisdiction goes.
 
PCTREE said:
Nick, I thought OSHA only regulated co.s with over a certain amount of employees????
Click to expand...

Yep, 1!
Nick, if you are a sole prop then you don't count towards the 2 gallon.
I mounted mine on the chipper Fender
 
I think most of you guys in the States have it pretty good. I was talking to an arborist in Washington state and he says working by himself he doesn't have to wear PPE if he doesn't feel like it.
Not here though, I can get fined and shutdown when working alone if I don't have my safety chaps on for only one cut on a log.
 
Same here.
It is simple math. If you have social medicine, society has to enforce some safety rules, since we all get to pay for patching some fool up, when he has cut his leg off.
 
Nick, I'm thinking that the federal OSHA doesn't require the documentation with the lesser employees, except where there are extenuating circumstances (lots of injuries?). I don't know about state OSHA with that requirement.
 
Do you have to have the water on the truck at all times. If you are moving to different jobs during the day isn't it feasible that you could refill or stop by a store and purchase more?
 
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