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This
Page Brought to You Courtesy of the California Faculty Association
and Cal Poly Risk Management
SAFETY
AND HEALTH PROTECTION ON THE JOB
State of California
Department of Industrial Relations
CAL/OSHA
CONTENTS
All employers must provide work and workplaces that are safe and
healthful. In other words, as an employer, you must follow state
laws governing job safety and health. Failure to do so can result
in a threat to the life or health of workers, and substantial monetary
penalties.
You must display this poster so everyone on the job can be aware
of basic rights and responsibilities.
You must have a written and effective injury and illness prevention
program for your employees to follow.
You must be aware of hazards your employees face on the job and
keep records showing that each employee has been trained in the
hazards unique to each job assignment.
You must correct any hazardous condition that you know may result
in serious injury to employees. Failure to do so could result in
criminal charges, monetary penalties, and even incarceration.
You must notify the nearest Cal/OSHA office of any serious injury
or fatality occurring on the job. Be sure to do this immediately
after calling for emergency help to assist the injured employee.
Never permit an employee to do work that violates Cal/OSHA law.
Never permit an employee to be exposed to harmful substances without
providing adequate protection.
Never allow an untrained employee to perform hazardous work.
As an employee, you (or someone acting for you) have
the right to file a complaint and request an inspection of your
workplace if conditions there are unsafe or unhealthful. This is
done by contacting the local district office of the Division of
Occupational Safety and Health (see list of offices at the bottom
of this document). Your name is not revealed by Cal/OSHA, unless
you request otherwise.
You also have the right to bring unsafe or unhealthful
conditions to the attention of the Cal/OSHA investigator making
an inspection of your workplace. Upon request, Cal/OSHA will withhold
the names of employees who submit or make statements during an inspection
or investigation.
Any employee has the right to refuse to perform work
that would violate a Cal/OSHA or any occupational safety or health
standard or order where such violation would create a real and apparent
hazard to the employee or other employees.
You may not be fired or punished in any way for filing
a complaint about unsafe or unhealthful working conditions, or using
any other right given to you by Cal/OSHA law. If you feel that you
have been fired or punished for exercising your rights, you may
file a complaint about this type of discrimination by contacting
the nearest office of the Department of Industrial Relations, Division
of Labor Standards Enforcement (State Labor Commissioner) or the
San Francisco office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational
Safety and Health Administration. (Employees of state or local government
agencies may only file these complaints with the State Labor Commissioner.)
Consult your local telephone directory for the office nearest you.
To keep the workplace and your co-workers safe, you
should tell your employer about any hazard that could result in
an injury or illness to people on the job.
While working, you must always obey state job safety
and health laws.
Employers who use any substance listed as a hazardous
substance in Section 339 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations,
or subject to the Federal Hazard Communications Standard (20 CFR
1910.1200), must provide employees with information on the contents
on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), or equivalent information
about the substance that trains employees to use the substance safely.
Employers shall make available on a timely and reasonable
basis a Material Safety Data Sheet on each hazardous substance in
the workplace upon request of an employee, an employee collective
bargaining representative, or an employee's physician.
Employees have the right to see and copy their medical
records and records of exposure to potentially toxic materials or
harmful physical agents.
Employers must allow access by employees or their
representatives to accurate records of employee exposures to potentially
toxic materials or harmful physical agents, and notify employees
of any exposures in concentration or levels exceeding the exposure
limits allowed by Cal/OSHA standards.
Any employee has the right to observe monitoring
or measuring of employee exposure to hazards conducted pursuant
to Cal/OSHA regulations.
A trained Cal/OSHA safety engineer or industrial
hygienist may periodically visit the workplace to make sure your
company is obeying job safety and health laws.
An inspection will also be conducted when a legitimate
complaint is filed by an employee with the Division of Occupational
Safety and Health.
Cal/OSHA also goes to the workplace to investigate
a serious injury or fatality.
When an inspection begins, the Cal/OSHA investigator
will show official identification from the Division of Occupational
Safety and Health.
The employer, or someone the employer chooses, will
be given an opportunity to accompany the investigator during the
inspection. A representative of the employees will be given the
same opportunity. Where there is no authorized employee representative,
the investigator will talk to a reasonable number of employees about
safety and health conditions at the workplace.
If the investigation shows that the employer has
violated a safety and health standard or order, then the Division
of Occupational Safety and Health issues a citation. Each citation
specifies a date by which the violation must be abated. A notice,
which carries no monetary penalty, may be issued in lieu of a citation
for certain non-serious violations.
Citations carry penalties of up to $7,000 for each
regulatory, general or serious violation. Additional penalties of
up to $7,000 per day may be proposed for each Failure to correct
a violation by the abatement date shown on the citation. A penalty
of not less than $5,000 nor more than $70,000 may be assessed an
employer who willfully violates any occupational safety and health
standard or order. The maximum civil penalty that can be assessed
for each repeat violation is $70,000. A willful violation that causes
death or permanent impairment of the body of any employee results,
upon conviction, in a fine of not more than $70,000, or imprisonment
of not more than six months, or both.
While governmental entities may be cited on the same
basis as other employers and abatement dates set, civil penalties
will not be assessed.
The law provides that employers may appeal citations
within 15 working days of receipt to the Occupational Safety and
Health Appeals Board.
An employer who receives a citation, Order to Take
Special Action, or Special Order must post it prominently at or
near the place of the violation for three working days, or until
the unsafe condition is corrected, whichever is longer. to warn
employees of danger that may exist there. Any employee may protest
the time allowed for correction of the violation to the Division
of Occupational Safety and Health or the Occupational Safety and
Health Appeals Board.
To learn more about job safety rules you may contact
the Cal/OSHA Consultation Service for free information, required
forms and publications. You can also contact a local district office
of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. If you prefer,
you may retain a competent private consultant, or ask your workers'
compensation insurance carrier for guidance in obtaining information.
Anaheim 2100 East Katella Ave. Suite 140,
92806 (714) 939-0145
Bakersfield 4800 Stockdale Highway-Suite 212,
93309 (805) 395-2718
Chico 555 Rio Lindo-Suite A, 95926 (916) 895-4761
Concord 1465 Enea Circle - Bldg. E Suite 900,
94520 (510) 676-5333
Covina 1123 South Parkview Suite 100, 91724
(818) 966-1166
Eureka 619 Second St.-Room 109,95501 (707)
445-6611
Fresno 2550 Mariposa St.-Room 4000, 93721
(209) 445-5302
Los Angeles 3550 West Sixth St.-Room 431,
90020 (213) 736-3041
Modesto 1209 Woodrow Ave.-Suite C-4, 95350
(209) 576-6260
Oakland 7700 Edgewater Dr.-Suite 125, 94621
(510) 568-8602
Pico Rivera 9455 East Slauson Ave., 90660
(310) 949-7827
Redding 381 Hemsted Dr., 96002 (916) 224-4743
Sacramento 2424 Arden Way-Suite 165,95825
(916) 263-2800
Salinas 1164 Monroe St. Suite 1, 93906 (408)
443-3050
San Bernardino 242 East Airport Dr.-Suite
103, 92408 (714) 383-4321
San Diego 7807 Convoy Court-Suite 140, 92111
(619) 237-7325
San Francisco 1390 Market St. Suite 718,94102
(415) 557-1677
San Jose 2010 North First St.-Suite 401, 95131
(408) 452-7288
San Mateo 1900 South Norfolk St.-Suite 215,
94403 (415) 573-3812
Santa Rosa 1221 Farmers Lane-Suite 300, 95405
(707) 576-2388
Torrance 680 Knox St.-Suite 100, 90502 (310)
516-3734
Ukiah 620 Kings Court-Suite 5, 95482 (707)
463-4783
Van Nuys 6150 Van Nuys Blvd.-Suite 405, 91401
(818) 901-5403
Ventura 1655 Mesa Verde-Room 150,93003 (805)
654-4581
Anaheim 2100 East Katella Ave.-Suite 125,
92806 (714) 939-8611
Los Angeles 3550 West Sixth St.-Room 413,
90020 (213) 736-4911
Sacramento 2424 Arden Way Suite 125, 95825
(916) 263-2803
San Francisco 1390 Market St. Suite 822, 94102
(415) 557-8640
455 Golden Gate Ave.-Room 5246, San Francisco CA
94102-(415) 703-4050
Fresno 1901 North Gateway Blvd.-Suite 102,93727
(209) 454-1295
Sacramento 2424 Arden Way Suite 410, 95825
(916) 263-2855
San Diego 7827 Convoy Court-Suite 406, 92111
(619) 279-3771
San Mateo 3 Waters Park Dr.-Room 230, 94403
(415) 573-3862
Santa Fe Springs 10350 Heritage Park Dr.-Suite
201, 90670 (310) 944-9366
Enforcement of Cal/OSHA job satety and health standards
is carried out by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health,
under the California Department of Industrial Relations, which has
primary responsibility for administering the Cal/OSHA program. Safety
and health standards are promulgated by the Occupational Safety
and Health Standards Board. Anyone desiring to register a complaint
alleging inadequacy in the administration of the California Occupational
Safety and Health Plan may do so by contacting the San Francisco
Regional Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor (Tel: 415/744-6670). OSHA monitors
the operation of state plans to assure that continued approval is
merited.
Questions or comments regarding this
page should be e-mailed to David
Ragsdale, Environmental Health and Safety Manager, Cal
Poly Risk Management.
This page last updated January
30, 1998
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