1. Commission on Health & Safety & Workers' Comp

The Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP)

WOSHTEP is:

  • An exciting statewide initiative aimed at reducing occupational injuries and illnesses and workers' compensation costs in California workplaces.
  • Administered by the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation in the Department of Industrial Relations, through interagency agreements with the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) at UC Berkeley, serving Northern California, the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) at UC Davis, serving California's Central Valley, and the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH) at UCLA, serving Southern California.

The purpose of WOSHTEP is to reduce job-related injuries and illnesses among California workers. By promoting health and safety on the job, WOSHTEP can also help lower workers' compensation costs for employers. WOSHTEP serves a variety of industries, and participants come from diverse occupations and work settings. Special emphasis is placed on reaching employers and workers in industries with significant injuries, illnesses and workers' compensation cost. Focus is also on groups with special needs, such as those who do not speak English as their first language, workers with limited literacy, young workers, and other traditionally underserved industries or groups of workers.

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WOSHTEP Programs

Worker Occupational Safety and Health (WOSH) Specialist Training for Workers

WOSHTEP Specialist Training

One of the goals of WOSHTEP is to train California workers to be Worker Occupational Safety and Health (WOSH) Specialists who will take leadership roles in promoting health and safety in their workplaces. These Specialists can:

  • Help promote employers' workplace injury and illness prevention efforts and the development of an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) at their workplace.
  • Serve as a health and safety resource for others, including co-workers, workplace health and safety committees, unions and employers.
  • Identify workplace hazards.
  • Identify the underlying causes of injuries.
  • Promote solutions to health and safety problems.
  • Support the successful return to work of injured employees.

WOSHTEP participation

WOSH Specialist Requirements

Workers interested in becoming WOSH Specialists attend a free 24-hour course where they learn key occupational safety and health concepts. They also learn how to take a leadership role in the workplace. The curriculum includes core modules addressing topics relevant to workers in a variety of California workplaces, as well as a series of supplemental modules covering specific topics and hazards.

The training program is offered in English, Spanish and Chinese and is provided free of charge. It is taught through a statewide network of trainers coordinated by the Northern California Resource Center at the University of California, Berkeley, and by the Southern California Resource Center at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The program provides training to workers who can take on health and safety responsibilities, such as serving on a health and safety committee or as a designated safety representative, and/or training other workers.

A participant in the WOSH Specialist Program will need to take 24 hours of training: six core modules (16 hours) and a minimum of three supplemental modules (8 hours). Descriptions of the core modules plus a list of possible supplemental topics are listed below.

Core Modules

  • Module 1: Promoting Effective Safety Programs
  • Module 2: Identifying Hazards in the Workplace
  • Module 3: Controlling Hazards in the Workplace
  • Module 4: Health and Safety Rights and Responsibilities
  • Module 5: Workers' Compensation and Return-to-Work Programs
  • Module 6: Resources and Strategies for Taking Action

Supplemental Modules

  • Bloodborne Pathogens
  • Chemical Hazards and Hazard Communication
  • Communicating Effectively about Workplace Health and Safety
  • Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders: Introduction to Ergonomics
  • Joint Labor-Management Health and Safety Committees
  • How Adults Learn Best: Sharing Health and Safety Information in the Workplace
  • Workplace Violence Prevention
  • Workplace Emergency Preparedness

A training program participant who successfully completes this training will receive a certificate of completion.

WOSH Specialists will be able to:

  • Understand the importance and key elements of a successful injury and illness prevention program (IIPP) in the workplace.
  • Identify a full range of potential hazards on the job and uncover root causes of injury and illness.
  • Evaluate possible control measures for common hazards.
  • Explain the legal requirements for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and support an employer's compliance efforts.
  • Participate actively in injury and illness prevention efforts and problem-solving in the workplace.
  • Serve as a health and safety resource for others, including co-workers, joint labor-management committees, unions and employers.
  • Contribute to reduction of workers' compensation costs through promotion of prevention and early return to work.

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WOSH Specialist Course: Related Materials

Awareness Materials

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Small Business Resources


Small Business Training Resources
  • Free safety training materials to use with your employees.
  • Free tips on how to comply with Cal/OSHA's IPPP regulation.

These materials help small business managers and owners to:

  • Identify ways to prevent injuries in your workplace.
  • Engage workers in your safety program.
  • Meet Cal/OSHA training requirements.
  • Provide short interactive safety training activities tailored to your business.

By using these materials, your employees will be able to:

  • Identify safety hazards in the workplace.
  • Learn about and find solutions to hazards in the workplace.
  • Contribute to a safe working environment.
WOSTEP training

Training materials:

General

Industry-Specific

Young Worker Health and Safety Programs

Young Worker Health and Safety Programs

DIR is committed to providing necessary education and resources about health and safety requirements including employment rights so teens can be safe in the workplace.

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Outdoor and Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Materials

Helpful videos directed to Spanish speakers providing quick safety reminders to fieldworkers on rest, water, and shade while working in the heat, produced by the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) at the University of California, Davis. (Since these videos are hosted on YouTube, you may wish to click "Skip" to avoid any initial advertisements which are not endorsed here.)

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Wildfire Safety Factsheets

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Safety, Health, and Wellness Resources and Publications

Materials for the Construction Industry

Safety, Health, and Wellness Resources and Publications: Other

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Multilingual Health and Resource Guide

Multilingual Health and Resource Guide

This Guide is a collection of links to worker training materials such as fact sheets, checklists, and other educational resources that are available online and can be printed to distribute to workers participating in workplace injury and illness prevention programs.

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Annual Reports

Annual Reports

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May 2024