California’s Department of Industrial Relations sought comments on its Jan. draft proposal to amend the state’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program to include requirements for businesses to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention program. SGIA does not oppose the development of such programs, however, any program proposed needs to consider the impacts on the small business community. Complex programs that require extensive tracking, reporting and paperwork increase the regulatory burden on the small business community.
In it’s comments to the Department, SGIA indicated that the current discussion draft does not address the impact on small business. Significant requirements have been proposed that that will need to be met by covered businesses. SGIA indicated that given the limited resources of small businesses, the regulation needs to be structured in such a manner to accommodate these limitations. Further, within the state’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program regulations, there is recognition of small businesses, specifically those with less than 10 employees. There is also recognition within the Injury and Illness Program of high hazard and low hazard industry sectors. SGIA continues to have questions as to how this will be carried through to the development of Workplace Violence Prevention Program regulations.
While the state has yet to propose a formal regulatory package, SGIA continues to monitor this regulatory initiative. Sign up to recieve the most up-to-date regulatory and legislative information about specialty imaging