California — Workplace Safety

The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 establishes the state's workplace safety framework to assure safe and healthful working conditions for all California workers. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), part of the California Department of Industrial Relations, enforces occupational safety and health standards for private-sector and state and local government employers. Cal/OSHA has jurisdiction over almost every workplace in California, with federal OSHA retaining enforcement authority only over federal government employers (including USPS), private employers on federal enclaves and military installations, maritime employment on navigable waters, and tribal workplaces on reservations.

Source: Cal. Lab. Code § 6300; Cal/OSHA Jurisdiction

Every California employer must establish, implement, and maintain a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) in accordance with Title 8 California Code of Regulations Section 3203. The requirement applies regardless of employer size or industry classification. The IIPP must be in writing and available at each worksite (or at a central location for non-fixed worksites). Employers in non-high-hazard industries who adopt and implement Cal/OSHA's model IIPP in good faith are not subject to a civil penalty for a first violation of Section 3203.

Source: 8 CCR § 3203