California Highlights Health and Safety in the Cannabis Industry
The Occupational Health Branch of the California Department of Public Health has created new webpages intended to help workers and employers understand legal protections and avoid hazards in the cannabis industry. The webpage for workers informs readers of their right to a safe workplace, free of worker rights violations such as wage theft, breaches of labor laws, unsafe work environments, and unsafe employer-provided housing. It also links to resources about health and safety hazards unique to the cannabis industry, such as allergies and asthma, pesticide exposures, ergonomic issues, heat illness, and workplace violence.
The webpage for employers follows the information on hazards with an outline of relevant regulatory and other requirements enforced by California state departments and agencies. For example, the California Code of Regulations requires employers in the cannabis industry to develop, implement, and maintain injury and illness prevention programs that include workplace violence protection plans. “Incidents of workplace violence may occur in any work setting,” the webpage explains. “But the presence of valuable cannabis plants and products, as well as large amounts of cash in retail locations, makes cannabis businesses and their workers especially vulnerable.” The employer webpage also provides additional tips and resources for maintaining safe and healthy workplaces in the cannabis industry.
According to Occupational Health Watch, an e-newsletter issued by the CDPH Occupational Health Branch, the webpages “were developed in collaboration with worker and employer representatives and other state agencies, among others, to assemble resources that best address the challenges faced by those who work in the cannabis industry.” The Occupational Health Branch’s information for cannabis industry workers and employers is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong from the CDPH website.