Osha Ordnance Regulations

ASK THE LAWYER: Regulation of the adult film industry

Q: I read about an actor infecting others while making an adult film. Is the porn industry regulated by anyone? - R.A., Palos Verdes

A: Significant effort is being made to place an issue on the June 2012 ballot in Los Angeles County so voters can decide if porn producers must require use of condoms as a condition to obtaining a film permit. The proposed ordinance would also allow the city to impose a fee on adult film producers sufficient to pay for periodic inspections for enforcement purposes. Industry representatives insist, however, there is a genuine level of self-policing. Research indicates that porn actors are required by law to test negative for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases within 30 days of going to work on a film. The California Occupational Safety and Health Act imposes a number of requirements on the industry, such as (a) Following a written safety and health program (known as an injury and illness prevention program, or IIPP). The IIPP identifies possible hazards particular to the workplace, and the means of protecting workers from those hazards; (b) Protecting as well as training employees in health and safety hazards, including electrical issues (e.g., special lighting); and (c) Protecting employees from hazards associated with bloodborne pathogens. This latter risk can result in HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. But, it is not just actors in the adult film industry who are at risk of infection; it includes those who deal with the sets, and who assist in developing scenes. If all practical engineering and work practice controls are in place, but workers are still exposed to hazards, employers in the adult film business must provide, as well as make sure employees utilize, appropriate personal protective equipment (which can include condoms and gloves). A summary on current regulations affecting the adult film industry can be found online at www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/AdultFilmIndustry.html .

Business Organizations Take a Stance

Once again featuring our Government Affairs Positions page of the AIT and the U.S. House

As part of the growing commitment to government affairs and issue advocacy, Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce (GLCCC) today released a Government Affairs Positions page. This new feature will highlight the positions taken by the House and the Association of Commerce and Industry (ACI) - which serves as the state chamber of commerce - and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

ACI takes positions of importance to the business community throughout the state while the AmericansHouse addresses issues of national business and often takes the GLCCC similar positions. However, the positions GLCCC must be specifically authorized by the Board of Directors of the Chamber.

Corrections to the Minimum Wage Act of 2009

The 2009 amendments to the Act on the minimum wage unwittingly created an unmanageable risk to employers of all sizes. The vast majority of violations are accidental. Treble damages for an unlimited period of time for any violation regardless of whether it was intentional could lead to financial losses of such magnitude that the company would fail. Employers should be accountable for violations that are part of the same “course of conduct.” However, the period of damages should not exceed the statute of limitations. A set period of damages is often stated in employment laws with similar societal aims. For example, the federal minimum wage and overtime law (FLSA) provides for two years of damages unless a willful violation is shown, in which case the period is three years. The federal 2009 Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (which changed the statute of limitations for discrimination claims) contains a limit on recovery of damages for a period of two years prior to the assertion of the claim.

Handbook of OSHA construction safety and health

OSHA, history, law, and policy

OSHA, Stallcup's construction regulations simplified

OSHA, Stallcup's electrical regulations simplified

OSHA, Stallcup's electrical construction regulations simplified