Take Action Now on Legislation and Regulations and Litigation
There are two major anti-regulatory bills moving through Congress—the REINS Act and the RAA—which, if passed, will have major implications for rulemaking at all agencies, including DOL and OSHA. Learn more about the REINS Act & The RAA and what you can do.
Work Collectively
Working collectively is important. It is most important for workers to come together to solve workplace problems, and a union provides workers with the best means to address health and safety concerns with management. Being an active member of your union, including participating in a union health and safety committee (and urging the formation of such a committee if one doesn’t exist) is critical to making the workplace safe. Collective bargaining agreements may also contain language protecting worker health and safety that is better than existing laws and regulations.
Labor-management health and safety committees with real labor participation can make a difference. In addition to union health and safety committees, some unions have initiated labor-management health and safety committees. These programs, when functioning properly, can significantly improve safety and health on the job. The labor participants in these programs must receive adequate safety and health training paid for by their employer, paid time to carry out the tasks that are required, and assurance that they won’t be fired for speaking out.
For more information regarding union and labor-management safety committees, see Union & Worker Action
Call on Government
Consider filing a complaint with Cal/OSHA. Our detailed Guide to Filing a Cal/OSHA Complaint provides information to file an effective complaint—one that government will take seriously.
Other governmental agencies can enforce laws and regulations to keep workers safe. Cal/OSHA not only enforces the law but provides information that may help you solve occupational safety and health problems.
- Cal/OSHA publications hosted on the Research and Education Unit homepage.
- Cal/OSHA Consultation eTools, an online resource with training materials and other helpful OSH publications.
- OSHA Publications. Federal OSHA posts an array of OSH informational tools here including fact sheets, pocket guides, and posters.
- Publications from the California Hazard Evaluation System and Information Service (HESIS)
Consult an Attorney
Attorneys can be very helpful, bur remain an advocate even when working with an attorney. Finally, if injuries, illnesses or deaths do occur in the workplace, it is important for workers and their families to obtain sound legal advice. There are different remedies, depending on the facts and on the law of each state. General information about Workers’ Compensation or third party lawsuits, and about selecting an attorney is posted, but cannot take the place of consulting with a specialist in these areas of law.