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Extreme Weather Events

Over the past decade, California has become more prone to weather extremes, including increased frequency and severity of heat waves, droughts, and wildfires. How have these weather extremes affected the work, health, and safety of agricultural employers and farmworkers?

Investigation of Accidents, Injuries, and Illnesses

Preventing injuries, illnesses, and harmful exposure before they occur is an important goal in the workplace. However, when accidents or “near misses” do occur, they provide a good opportunity to identify health and safety problems and target prevention efforts. 

A Look Back at 2019

WCAHS looks back at Research and Outreach activities for 2019.

Hazard Assessment and Inspection

When creating an Injury and Illness Prevention Program or IIPP, there must be a system in place for all worksites that periodically assesses the work environment for health and safety hazards that can cause injuries and illnesses.

Research Highlight

Agricultural workers experience high rates of stress-related psychiatric conditions and one of the highest suicide rates of any industry and yet the stressors and mental health of this population are not well understood.

Communication with Employees about Safety

One of the requirements when establishing an IIPP is to include a program for communicating with employees and involving them in the IIPP.

Employee Compliance and Safety Procedures

The IIIPP standard requires that employers establish a system for ensuring that all permanent and intermittent workers follow safety rules.

IIPP Assignment of Responsibilities

Before developing an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP), it is necessary to identify the individual(s) that will manage the safety program, as well as to establish roles and assignments.

Overview of Cal/OSHA’s Injury & Illness Prevention Program Standard

As stated by Cal/OSHA’s IIPP standard, it is a requirement that all employers establish, implement, and maintain a written IIPP that describes the workplace’s health and safety program, including the eight important elements described below, and how they will be implemented.

Perspectives on the Proposed Emergency Wildfire Regulation

During the May 8 advisory meeting of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on Petition 573, the proposed emergency regulation to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke, perspectives from community members, organizations, and academic scientists were heard regarding the proposed emergency standard. 

Protecting Human Health in a Changing Climate

As extreme weather events occur more frequently and increase in severity each year, WCAHS is proud to welcome investigator, Kathryn (Katie) Conlon, PhD, and her research expertise related to adaptation strategies to protect human health in a changing climate.

Transformations within Yolo County Agriculture

As a former small-scale, diversified farmer (e.g., flowers, vegetables) and goat dairy manager, my deep-rooted agricultural background informs my research as an epidemiology PhD candidate at the University of California, Davis. My dissertation focuses on evaluating the risk of disease transmission in the wildlife-livestock-human interface.

Heat Illness Prevention Standard Requirements

As the summer heat quickly approaches, it is important for all outdoor places of employment, including agriculture, to know that a Heat Illness Prevention Plan can be integrated into their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP).