YNOT – The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health Standards (CalOSHA) will form an advisory committee to study compliance regulations as they affect the adult entertainment industry, the division’s board of directors decided Thursday.The committee will be tasked with reporting to the board about whether new regulations geared to protect the health and safety of performers on adult movie sets should be implemented, and if so, what those regulations should encompass.
Formation of the advisory committee came in response to a petition filed by Los Angeles-based advocacy organization AIDS Healthcare Foundation. In December, AHF filed a petition with CalOSHA calling for changes to current adult industry compliance standards. AHF has been waging a campaign to mandate condom use on adult productions sets, and has stated that current CalOSHA regulations are insufficient. The adult entertainment industry disagrees, saying although condoms are optional on most adult movie sets, performers must be tested for sexually transmitted diseases before they can work.
“I’m glad [CalOSHA is] convening a committee,” said First Amendment attorney Paul Cambria, one of a group of adult industry representatives who attended the Thursday meeting. “I hope that they choose someone responsible from the adult community to participate, and I’m hopeful that, eventually, some workable regulations will be put in place.”
Other adult industry insiders who attended the meeting included Free Speech Coalition Executive Director Diane Duke, Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation spokesperson and neurologist Dr. H.A. Aranow, FSC California lobbyist Ignacio Hernandez and performer Angelina Armani. They were allowed to speak and answer questions from CalOSHA board members.
During discussion about the committee’s formation, several board members recommended adult industry members be chosen to sit on the committee.
“There are two good things that happened today,” Duke said after the meeting. “One: The voice of the adult entertainment industry was heard, and we were able to tell the truth about the industry. Two: A process has begun that can finally address blood-borne pathogen standards in an industry appropriate way.”
Representatives from AHF also were present at the meeting and also were allowed to speak.
Afterward, AHF President Michael Weinstein told TheWrap.com, “This [board decision] was a game-changer. The board swept aside the objections of the industry and took to heart the compelling testimony of industry performers who spoke about being coerced into working without condoms, sometimes at cost to their health.”
Duke and CalOSHA spokeswoman Erika Monterroza said the committee’s work likely will go on for two years or more before any changes are made to regulations, if changes need to be made.
“It’s the beginning of a long process,” Monterroza said. “It’s clearly an issue that merits further review.”
Monterroza also indicated meetings of the committee would be open to the public.
