AGC of California Tells Members to Stop Retrofitting Diesel Fleets
The Associated General Contractors of California has put out an alert to its members to hold off retrofitting their equipment with CARB-compliant diesel emission reduction filters (retrofit filters).
“There are regulation revisions and studies in process that will affect the types of compliant filters, the pieces of equipment they are approved for and where they are installed on the equipment,” the AGC reports. “Before you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars retrofitting equipment that may be in violation of Cal/OSHA regulations, Cal/OSHA and CARB must determine whether or not the filters impair equipment operator visibility.”
The AGC says that on Oct. 14, it along with Operating Engineers Local 3, CALPASC, California Labor Federation, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety & Health and the Standards Board met with representatives from California Air Resources Board and the governor’s office regarding the potential safety hazards presented by installing specific types of diesel emission reduction filters on heavy equipment. The discussion of these hazards is a direct result of Petition 507, filed jointly by AGC of California and Operating Engineers Local 3, with the Cal/OSHA Standards Board.
During the meeting, the AGC says an interim agreement in principle was reached regarding safety issues when installing retrofit filters, until Petition 507 has been finalized in the regulatory process. The agreement is as follows: