With the legalization of marijuana in several states, including California, there is a new industry being born. This brings to light new challenges, such as managing and monitoring the safety within this industry. Keeping workers safe is something every employer must strive to do, but since the industry is just beginning, there is no set standard in place, which means everything must come from the ground up.
Safety and Health Magazine explains that the good thing about the marijuana industry and safety guidelines is there is a lot of overlap. There are many industries already in place that have similar needs to this one. So, it is really only a matter of finding the existing regulations and putting them all together for this industry. For example, marijuana retailers will use the same guidelines as other retailers. Those working to grow and cultivate the plants will have similar needs to farmworkers.
There must also be a focus on training within the industry. To train employees, though, you need set standards and guidelines in place. So, the work is happening fast to keep workers safe in this field.
There are already statistics about this industry and possible safety hazards. Most of the injury claims thus far are from those working in the farming part of the industry. The second-highest area for claims is the retail segment. Luckily, there are already safety measures in place so that those in this field may tap into those resources and apply them to the marijuana industry. This information is for education and is not legal advice.
