1. Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board

Petition File No. 617

Shourish Mukherjee

The Petitioner requests that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) amend title 8 regulations, including section 1509 Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), to require employers engaging in residential construction and remodeling to post visible respiratory safety signage at worksites where employees may be exposed to airborne particulate hazards, including silica, wood dust, insulation fibers, and drywall dust. The proposed signage would encourage appropriate use of respiratory protection, including N95 filtering facepiece respirators, and include scannable QR codes linking directly to official Cal/OSHA or Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) instructional videos demonstrating proper respirator use, including donning, doffing, and user seal checks.

The Petitioner asserts that point-of-use, multilingual video resources would improve access to safety information, address language and literacy barriers, and enhance worker awareness at the time and location where exposure occurs. The Petitioner characterizes the proposal as a low-cost intervention, estimating employer costs at approximately $15–$25 per worksite for weatherproof sign printing, with minimal costs to the State because existing Cal/OSHA educational resources could be used. The Petitioner contends that improved respiratory protection awareness could help reduce long-term worker disability claims, respiratory illness costs, and jobsite hazard incidents.

• Petition 617 - Remediated for Accessibility

August 2026