CANOGA PARK, Calif.—On Thursday, March 18, Free Speech Coalition and adult industry stakeholders will attend a meeting of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health standards (Cal/OSHA) board. At the meeting, the Cal/OSHA board will consider a petition filed in December that would change current state regulations and require condom and other barrier protection use on adult production sets, as well as other workplace safety regulations for adult productions.
In media reports, CalOSHA staff and board staff have purportedly recommended that an advisory committee should be formed to consider amending current CalOSHA compliance regulations for the adult industry. The action follows pressure on CalOSHA from AIDS Healthcare Foundation. AHF has alleged that current industry protocols for adult productions are insufficient and that the industry is under-regulated.
"This is a workplace safety issue. AHF has no presence in the industry and, therefore, is not a stakeholder," FSC Executive Director Diane Duke said. "Stakeholders include performers, producers and individuals who work on or around production sets. As is appropriate, Free Speech Coalition (the adult entertainment industry's trade association) continues to work with industry stakeholders to reduce risk and provide a safe working environment."
"Unfortunately, in what seems to be a witch hunt, the folks at AHF have garnered a great deal of attention in the dissemination of misinformation and untruths," Duke said. "We look forward to being the voice of reason at this upcoming hearing."
FSC hopes to address current CalOSHA compliance regulations for adult productions either at the meeting, or with an advisory committee created to discuss workplace safety issues for the industry. Current compliance regulations are based on clinical protocols.
"The meeting will provide the adult industry an opportunity to address our concerns with a bloodborne pathogen plan that was not designed to address adult entertainment industry issues," Duke added.
AHF is a global HIV/AIDS advocacy organization based in Los Angeles. Last week, protesters from the organization picketed outside Adult Industry Medical Healthcare (AIM) in order to bring attention to their demands. In December, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge rejected AHF's request for a court order demanding mandatory use of condoms on adult production sets.
Next week’s CalOSHA board meeting will be held in Costa Mesa, Calif.
