LOHP - Labor Occupational Health Program

05/22/2026

Thank you to members of California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board for taking action yesterday to begin the process of banning engineered stone in California to protect workers from contracting silicosis. A progressive and incurable occupational lung disease, silicosis is caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica dust. Too many workers have already lost their lives. We must do more to protect workers in California.
More
https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2026/2026-45.html

Image Description:
A quote from the UC Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program Director Suzanne Teran reads: "Too many workers—many of whom are young Latino men fabricating countertops—have developed silicosis or died from working with this highly toxic material.

We need to take action to stop this epidemic. No household countertop is worth workers’ lives.” A cutout of Teran speaking into a microphone in the bottom right corner along with LOHP's logo.

05/20/2026

🌱 We conducted two disaster preparedness train-the-trainer sessions with community advocates in Sonoma County this month, in partnership with Community Organizations Active in Disaster Training in Sonoma County Sonoma County COAD

🌱We covered , and Air Quality Hazards and Workplace and Community Advocacy Skills. Our goal: to equip trusted messengers to protect and support their communities.

🌱 Este mes, llevamos a cabo dos sesiones de capacitación de formadores en preparación ante desastres con defensores comunitarios en el condado de Sonoma, en colaboración con la organización COAD (Organizaciones Comunitarias Activas en Situaciones de Desastre) del condado de Sonoma.

🌱 Abordamos la prevención de enfermedades causadas por el calor, los riesgos de incendios forestales y la calidad del aire, así como habilidades de defensa en el ámbito laboral y comunitario. Nuestro objetivo: dotando a los mensajeros de confianza de las herramientas necesarias para proteger y apoyar a sus comunidades.

Gracias Corazón Healdsburg Centro Laboral de Graton Líderes Campesinas Napa Raizes Collective

05/11/2026

Each May, LOHP coordinates the Safe Jobs for Youth Month campaign to raise awareness about protecting young workers on the job. As the summer job season approaches, many young people are entering the workforce for the very first time, likely without the information they need about their rights on the job, or how to stay safe at work.

At youngworkers.org, we have resources that can help. We have resources for young workers, parents, educators, and employers Learn more:

https://youngworkers.org/safe-jobs-for-youth-month/




Image description: Photo cutout of two teen boys, one speaking into a microphone. Photo text reads: May is Safe Jobs for Youth Month.
Photo:

05/04/2026

In April we trained a powerful group of leaders spearheading SEIU's Workers United Laundry Division’s regional health and safety committees. They are preparing to negotiate with the employers and to bring information to their coworkers about their rights and how to take action on key hazards they face like high heat, chemicals, and repetitive motions doing hard and heavy work. Industrial laundry workers are required to bend and reach to pull tangled heaps of heavy linens, use harsh chemicals, and push carts weighing hundreds of pounds, all in extremely hot indoor temperatures. WSRJB Workers United-SEIU SEIU 🔥

Image descriptions: A photo carousel of members of the laundry workers union gathering. Workers are gathered in small groups in discussion, laughing, and mapping out the safety hazards in their workplace on paper.

Hace un par de semanas, hicimos una una capacitación con un grupo de líderes poderosos a cargo de los comités regionales de salud y seguridad de la División de Lavandería de SEIU Workers United. Estos líderes se están preparando para negociar con sus empleadores y para dar información a sus compañeros de trabajo sobre sus derechos y qué hacer sobre riesgos que enfrentan como el calor extremo, los productos químicos y movimientos repetitivos haciendo trabajo pesado y difícil. os trabajadores de lavanderías industriales tienen que agacharse y estirarse para jalar montones enredados de ropa y s’abanas, productos químicos fuertes y empujar carritos que pesan cientos de libras; todo bajo temperaturas interiores extremadamente elevadas. WSRJB Workers United-SEIU

Descripciones de las imágenes: Un carrusel de fotos de miembros del SEIU Workers United. Los trabajadores se encuentran congregados en pequeños grupos, conversando, riendo y señalando en papel los riesgos de seguridad presentes en su lugar de trabajo.

05/01/2026

All workers deserve to be safe at work.



Image description: A group of workers smiling in front of three hanging posters that read "Safe Jobs, Healthy Lives." Blue Lettering reads "International Workers' Day. All Workers Deserve Safe Jobs and Healthy Lives," with the UC Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program's logo centered at the bottom.

04/30/2026

04/28/2026

All workers have the right to safe jobs and healthy lives.

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Image descriptions:

1. A women stands in front of a slide that reads 'What is Worker's Memorial Day? 385 workers in the US die each day from hazardous working conditions." Text reads "Workers' Memorial Day Hold the Line for Safe Jobs."

2. Text on a blue background reads "Each day over 380 workers are killed. Over 8,600 workers are injured and sick from dangerous conditions at work." A cutout of two workers in hazmat suits in the bottom right corner.

3. Text on a blue background reads "Honor those who lost their lives from unsafe working conditions. Protect worker health & safety." Three lit candles are centered at the bottom along with the UC Berkeley Labor Occupational Health Program logo .

04/26/2026

Congrats to Jimena Rodriguez-Gamez and Santiago Fuentes who have both been accepted into the UC Berkeley Public Health, MPH Environmental Health Sciences program! Both Jimena and Santiago joined us last summer as part of the Occupational Health Internship Program (OHIP). OHIP interns learn about the field of occupational safety and health from those with most at stake: working people. Jimena and Santiago partnered with Laborers’ International Union, Local 67 and the , among others, and their achievements remind us how critical this program is to building the pipeline of leaders in occupational health & safety that we need in this moment. 🎉

California Department of Public Health

04/20/2026

In the field this spring giving workers and worker advocates info about their rights and how to stay safe on the job.

04/11/2026

Read our spring newsletter. 🌷 Swipe for info on protecting public transit workers, worksite safety plans for immigration raids, the Young Worker Leadership Academy and much more. 🔗 full newsletter at https://lohp.berkeley.edu/lohp-newsletter/