Cal/OSHA Worker and Employer Education Material including Fact Sheet for Temp Workers

To view the below announcement on line:  http://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2015/2015-58.pdf

News Release No.: 2015-58 Date: June 30, 2015
New Cal/OSHA Educational Materials for Workers and Employers Now Available Online

Oakland — Cal/OSHA released two new fact sheets this month that expand upon resources available to the public. Health & Safety Rights: Facts for California Workers details ways for employees to work with employers and Cal/OSHA to keep their jobs safe. Protecting Temporary Agency Employees provides information on the requirements in California for temp agencies, professional employer organizations (PEOs), and host employers to protect workers from safety and health hazards in the host employer's workplace.

"These new online educational tools are part of Cal/OSHA's ongoing efforts to help employers and employees access critical information on workplace safety," said Christine Baker, Director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Cal/OSHA is a division within DIR.

The workers' rights fact sheet is the first Cal/OSHA publication to focus primarily on workers' basic rights to a safe and healthful workplace and how to work with Cal/OSHA before, during, and after an inspection. Cal/OSHA will distribute printed versions at community events, training sessions and during onsite visits. The temp agency worker factsheet is the first to explain California-specific legal obligations of multiple employers that employ the same workers and is based on recent case law and Cal/OSHA's Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) requirements. It is timely given the rise in temporary workers, who are particularly vulnerable to hazards on the job.

"Cal/OSHA developed this workers' rights fact sheet with input from a broad range of employers, employees and interested parties to help ensure safe and healthful workplaces," said Juliann Sum, Chief of Cal/OSHA.

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Cal/OSHA's Consultation Services Branch provides free and voluntary assistance to employers and employee organizations to improve their health and safety programs. Employers should call (800) 963-9424 for assistance from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services.
Employees with work-related questions or complaints may call DIR's Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734), or the California Workers' Information Hotline at 866-924-9757 for recorded information in English and Spanish on a variety of work-related topics. Complaints can also be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices.

For media inquiries, contact Erika Monterroza at (510) 286-1164 or Peter Melton at (510) 286-7046.
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The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR's Communications Call Center at 1-844-LABOR-DIR (1-844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.