Cal/OSHA Consultation Service: Assistance Programs

The Cal/OSHA Consultation Service program administers a number of additional assistance programs.

High Hazard Consultation Program
The high hazard consultation program offers assistance to employers with experience modification rates of 125% or more through its high hazard consultation program. To learn more about the high hazard consultation program, contact the Cal/OSHA Consultation area office nearest your workplace.

California has developed several programs that rely on industry, labor, and government to work as partners in encouraging and recognizing workplace safety and health programs that effectively prevent and control injuries and illnesses to workers. These partnership programs include the Voluntary Protection Program, Golden State, SHARP, Golden Gate, and special alliances formed between industry, labor, and OSHA.

Partnership Programs
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has long recognized its limitations in improving occupational safety and health in industry. Safety and health standards, no matter how carefully conceived and crafted, will never address all work activities and conditions. Available resources are insufficient to conduct regular or exhaustive inspections of all the state’s workplaces. However, the Division has long since recognized the potential for improving workplace safety and health when industry, labor and Cal/OSHA work together in a cooperative manner.

The Division was first in the nation to develop a program that relies on industry, labor and Cal/OSHA to work as partners in encouraging and recognizing workplace safety and health programs that effectively prevent and control injuries and illnesses to workers. Currently, the Division offers four different structured partnership programs, and is always interested in developing special alliances between industry, labor, and OSHA.

Benefits of Participating in a Partnership Program
Participation in one of the Division’s partnership programs will provide the following benefits. Some programs also offer an exemption from routine enforcement inspections.

  • Reduction in injuries and illnesses
  • Lower worker’s compensation costs
  • Improvement in employee motivation
  • Higher quality and productivity
  • Community recognition as a leader
  • Statewide recognition from their industry and government as a quality employer
  • Increased job referrals and bid acceptance

SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program)
SHARP is a mid-level recognition program that may offer eligible employers an exemption from Cal/OSHA Enforcement programmed inspections. California offers two SHARP programs: Cal/SHARP for high-hazard employers with fixed- and mobile-worksites, except construction worksites; and Cal/SHARP – Construction, a pilot program for contractors working at construction sites.

Golden Gate
Golden Gate is an entry-level program for small high-hazard employers and is site specific. Employers must have an established, minimally effective injury and illness prevention program in order to receive recognition. The Golden Gate program does not offer inspection exemptions.

Alliances enable organizations committed to workplace safety and health to collaborate with OSHA to prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace. OSHA and its allies work together to reach out to, educate, and lead the nation’s employers and their employees in improving and advancing workplace safety and health.