Safety – Employment Law UpdateSAFETY & WORKERS’ COMPENSATIONSeveral bills relating to workers’ compensation were signed into law in 2017:AB 2883 Clarifies that owners or officers of businesses who receive pay from the business may be excluded from coverage under the workers’ compensation policy but only if they are owners of at least 15% of the stock of the entity and are specifically excluded under the policy in writing.SB 1175 attempts to expedite payment of workers’ compensation claims by requiring medical providers to submit bills for medical services to employers within one year of the date of service.INDOOR HEAT ILLNESS (Effective January 1, 2019)Though not an immediate change, a very important one that we want you to be aware of: SB 1167 requires Cal/OSHA to propose a heat-illness and injury prevention standard for indoor workers by January 1, 2019. The bill does not specify what provisions will be included in the new rule or what types of workplaces will be covered — potentially the new rule could include all indoor workplaces, including air conditioned offices.USING ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHILE DRIVINGAB 1785 clarifies rules relating to the use of wireless electronic devices while driving. The existing law is amended to authorize drivers to use their hand to activate or deactivate a feature or function of the device with a single swipe or tap, as long as the device is mounted so as not to hinder the driver’s view of the road.Reprinted with permission: Don Dressler – www.calworksafety.com