[Webinar] Cal/OSHA’s High Hazard Unit: How Employers Can Prepare for Targeted Enforcement in High-Hazard Industries
Join Rachel Conn, Megan Shaked, and Andrea Chavez on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET, for a webinar titled “Cal/OSHA’s High Hazard Unit: How Employers Can Prepare for Targeted Enforcement in High-Hazard Industries.”
Cal/OSHA has a specialized High Hazard Unit dedicated to conducting targeted programmed inspections in certain “High Hazard Industries.” The scope of industries covered by the High Hazard unit is based on industry rates of preventable occupational injuries/illnesses and workers’ compensation losses. Using a regularly updated High Hazard Industry List identifying targeted industries, Cal/OSHA conducts comprehensive inspections of select employers included among the high hazard industries. The 2025-2026 High Hazard Industry List covers a wide variety of employers, including certain employers in agriculture, construction, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, transportation & warehousing, and more.
Participants in this webinar will learn: Read More
Announcing Conn Maciel Carey LLP’s 2026 Cal/OSHA Webinar Series
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is one of the most aggressive and enforcement-heavy State OSH Programs in the nation. California employers face numerous requirements unique to the Golden State and Cal/OSHA is often at the forefront of new regulations. In addition, California’s ever-changing employment law landscape requires that employers stay apprised of new compliance obligations, including those that may impact safety and health requirements.
Conn Maciel Carey LLP’s complimentary 2026 Cal/OSHA Webinar Series, put on by the Cal/OSHA attorneys in the firm’s national OSHA Practice Group, is designed to give employers insight into what you can expect in the coming year from the latest legislative and rulemaking developments at Cal/OSHA.
To register for an individual webinar in the series, click on the link in the program description below, or to register for the entire 2026 series, click here to send us an email request, and we will get you registered. Please note that registration for the In-Person Cal/OSHA and California Labor and Employment Law Summit is separate from the webinar series. See below for more details. Each webinar is pending General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits.
If you missed any of our programs from our annual Cal/OSHA Webinar Series, here is a link to a library of webinar recordings. If your organization or association would benefit from an exclusive program presented by our team on any of the subjects in this year’s webinar series or any other important Cal/OSHA-related topic, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | Tuesday, March 17, 2026 |
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | Thursday, May 14, 2026 |
Beyond Cal/OSHA Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | The Intersection of Labor, Employment & Safety Tuesday, July 21, 2026 |
Thursday, August 13, 2026 | Tuesday, September 15, 2026 |
Tues., October 6, & Thurs., October 8, 2026 | Thursday, November 12, 2026 |
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 |
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See below for a full list of the program descriptions.
Former Regional OSHA Counsel for DOL’s Atlanta Region Rachel L. Graeber Joins Conn Maciel Carey as Chair of the Firm’s Southeast Practice
ATLANTA, GA (January 21, 2026) – Conn Maciel Carey LLP (“CMC”), a national boutique OSHA/MSHA • Workplace Safety and Employment/Labor law firm, is pleased to announce that Rachel L. Graeber has joined the firm as a Partner and Chair of its Southeast Practice. Rachel, an accomplished and seasoned federal litigator with more than 15 years of experience, most recently served as the Regional OSHA Counsel with the Department of Labor (DOL), Office of the Solicitor for the Atlanta Region (formerly Region IV).
Eric J. Conn, a Co-founding Partner of Conn Maciel Carey and Chair of the firm’s national OSHA • Workplace Safety Practice, said, “Practicing law is rewarding when it’s with and against truly talented attorneys, and in that regard, Rachel was the quintessential respected adversary. When we had cases against each other, she proved to be a most effective advocate, strategic litigator, and creative negotiator. She was at the helm of high-profile litigation successes in complex and high-stakes matters for OSHA and MSHA. No one better to lead CMC’s support for our clients operating throughout the Southeast region.” Read More
CMC Expands its Workplace Safety Practice Group with the Addition of Environmental Regulatory Veteran Chris Vamos to its DC Office
Conn Maciel Carey LLP (“CMC”), a national boutique OSHA/MSHA • Workplace Safety and Employment/Labor law firm, is pleased to announce that John Christopher (Chris) Vamos has joined the firm as Of Counsel in its Washington, DC, office. Chris has three decades of experience as an attorney and engineer providing comprehensive environmental, hazardous chemical management, and hazmat transportation support to industrial and manufacturing clients in the iron and steel, electric utility, metallic mineral mining, and high technology sectors.
Eric J. Conn, founding partner of Conn Maciel Carey and chair of the firm’s national OSHA & Workplace Safety Practice Group, said, “Environmental regulatory risk is always lurking nearby the workplace safety and health challenges with which we support our clients, so bringing on Chris provides the perfect complement to our team. And Chris’ engineering background gives him a unique legal and technical eye when it comes to understanding complex industrial and manufacturing processes. He is always three steps ahead anticipating legal risks and developing solutions that address the operational needs of his clients. He will be a great addition to our team.”
Happy Holidays from Everyone at Conn Maciel Carey!
All of us here at Conn Maciel Carey wish you a joyful and safe holiday season!
Please enjoy this holiday greeting from the CMC family to your family:
We have so much to be thankful for at Conn Maciel Carey, but most of all, we thank you all for continuing to turn to us for counsel and legal services. Please contact us if you have questions about any of the topics we have covered here on the Cal/OSHA Defense Report blog, or if you have ideas for other subjects we should be covering. And of course, contact any of us if there is ever anything our national OSHA & Workplace Safety Practice Group at Conn Maciel Carey can do to help your organization with workplace safety law issues.
Honoring a Career That Defined Cal/OSHA Defense: Fred Walter, CMC Of Counsel, Retires After 45 Years
After more than four decades shaping and defending California workplace safety law, legendary Cal/OSHA attorney Fred Walter is retiring and closing a chapter on a career that helped define an entire practice area.
In a recent Cal-OSHA Reporter feature, Fred reflects on his path into Cal/OSHA defense, which began in the late 1970s in personal injury litigation before a pivotal meeting with Robert “Bob” Peterson, widely regarded as the godfather of the Cal/OSHA defense bar. As the first Chief Counsel for the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board, Peterson pioneered what was then an emerging specialty. Fred followed soon after, becoming only the second attorney to focus full-time on Cal/OSHA defense – a role he would hold for the next 45 years.
The article traces Fred’s firsthand experience with Cal/OSHA’s evolution, Read More
[Webinar] Annual Cal/OSHA Enforcement and Regulatory Update: Are You Ready for 2026?
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 9 am to 10 am PT / 12 pm to 1 pm ET, join Rachel L. Conn, Megan S. Shaked, and Andrea O. Chavez for a webinar titled, “Annual Cal/OSHA Enforcement and Regulatory Update.”
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, is perhaps the most aggressive and enforcement-heavy approved state OSH Program in the nation. California employers face a host of requirements that other employers around the country do not. Likewise, the Cal/OSHA inspection and appeal process creates several unique landmines for California employers. Join us for our annual review of all things Cal/OSHA.
Participants in this webinar will learn about: Read More
Rachel L. Conn Featured in Law360’s Expert Analysis: Prepping For 2026 Shifts In Calif. Workplace Safety Rules
As California employers prepare for 2026, the state’s workplace safety and enforcement landscape is poised for significant change. In a recent Law360 article, CMC’s California Practice Chair Rachel L. Conn examines what lies ahead for Cal/OSHA enforcement and rulemaking, 
including increased inspection activity, expanded criminal investigations, and major regulatory developments affecting workplace violence prevention, heat illness, wildfire smoke, and emerging technologies.
The article provides Read More
Last Chance to Register for CMC’s Cal/OSHA and L&E Summit on October 21st and 23rd!
Conn Maciel Carey LLP’s 2025 Cal/OSHA & California Labor & Employment Law Summit is an in-person program, hosted in Berkeley, CA, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and Pasadena, CA, on Thursday, October 23, and presented by the California-based attorneys in CMC’s national OSHA • Workplace Safety and Labor • Employment Practice Groups. The Summit will provide California employers with timely updates on key workplace safety, health, and employment law developments.
Special Guest Appearance
Don’t miss your opportunity to hear directly from one of the leading voices in the field.Joseph M. Alioto Jr. is the Chair of California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal/OSHA). Appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023, Joseph leads statewide efforts to safeguard workers while considering business needs. As founder of Alioto Legal, he blends his prosecutorial rigor with business acumen (JD/MBA, UC Berkeley) to pursue public-impact litigation while advising clients facing institutional and regulatory battles.
Speaker Update: Chair of California’s OSH Standards Board to Join CMC’s Cal/OSHA & L&E Summit!
Conn Maciel Carey LLP’s 2025 Cal/OSHA & California Labor & Employment Law Summit is an in-person program, hosted in Berkeley, CA, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and Pasadena, CA, on Thursday, October 23, and presented by the California-based attorneys in CMC’s national OSHA • Workplace Safety and Labor • Employment Practice Groups. The Summit will provide California employers with timely updates on key workplace safety, health, and employment law developments.
Special Guest Appearance
This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the leading voices in the field.Joseph M. Alioto Jr. is the Chair of California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal/OSHA). Appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023, Joseph leads statewide efforts to safeguard workers while considering business needs. As founder of Alioto Legal, he blends his prosecutorial rigor with business acumen (JD/MBA, UC Berkeley) to pursue public-impact litigation while advising clients facing institutional and regulatory battles. Read More
OSHA Inspection Toolkit
