New Federal Program Aims to Reduce Workplace Hazards in Colorado’s Legal Cannabis Industry
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has launched a new program to identify and minimize risks to workers in Colorado’s legal cannabis industry. The “Local Emphasis Program for Cannabis Industries” will focus on outreach and enforcement in the Denver and Englewood areas, where OSHA offices are located.
The program aims to encourage employers to take steps to address hazards, ensure facilities are in compliance with OSHA requirements, and help correct hazards to reduce the risk of injuries, illnesses, and death for workers. Workers in the cannabis industry are exposed to a wide range of hazards, including flammable liquids, electrical issues, hazardous chemicals, and unguarded machinery.
OSHA has identified several common workplace hazards in the marijuana industry, including violations of the hazard communication standard, respiratory protection, flammable liquid storage and handling, electrical hazards, fall hazards, and personal protective equipment. The agency has also cited a 2017 survey of 214 workers in Colorado’s cannabis industry, which found that only 15% of workers received continuous, structured safety and health training, and 23% of workers never received any safety or health training.
The new program will involve training sessions with stakeholders, electronic information sharing, and enforcement activities, including inspections and reviews of cannabis processing, growing, cultivation, and product manufacturing activities. OSHA officials will also conduct investigations into workplace fatalities and injuries, and work with employers to correct hazards and improve safety and health programs.
The program is part of OSHA’s ongoing efforts to protect workers in the cannabis industry, which is still illegal under federal law. However, OSHA’s federal and state plans around health and safety standards are applicable to employers engaged in commercial cannabis, and the agency has been working to identify and address workplace hazards in the industry.
OSHA officials have emphasized the importance of research and data collection in improving health and safety in the cannabis industry. They have also acknowledged the challenges of enforcing workplace safety standards in an industry that is still illegal under federal law, but have emphasized the need to protect workers and ensure that employers are held accountable for providing a safe and healthy work environment.
