Cal/OSHA Safety Orders

Through Cal/OSHA, the California Department of Industrial Relations protects worker safety and health by researching and setting standards. A lengthy process is required for the development of a new workplace safety rule. Each rule that eventually becomes a standard has been reviewed by a variety of subject matter experts, lawmakers, and interested members of the public.

Approved standards become part of a system of "safety orders." All workplace safety orders are cataloged under Title 8 of the Code of California Regulations (8 CCR). These regulations are further broken down into subchapters that address rules specific to an industry, process, or type of equipment. Subchapters are numbered for easy reference. For example, the phrase "8 CCR 5190" refers to Title 8 subchapter number 5190, which pertains to the control of cotton dust exposure. Throughout this course, we will reference specific standards using this numbering method. 8 CCR 5190 does not apply to:

• Cotton harvesting or ginning
• Ship building, repair, or demolition; or the loading, unloading, moving, and handling of a ship's cargo
• The handling or processing of woven or knitted material
• Knitting, classing, or warehousing operations
• The construction industry

The full text of Cal/OSHA standards can be found online at the California Department of Labor Relations website.

To learn more about Cotton Dust Safety visit our Cal/OSHA Cotton Dust Safety Online Training web page.