Top Safety Tips to Prevent Workplace Accidents in California (2025)

There are many impactful ways to prevent workplace accidents in California. Employers bear substantial responsibility for keeping employees safe, but employees should understand how to keep themselves safe as well. Bridges Law Firm shares its top safety tips to prevent workplace accidents in California. Plus, we note some first steps to take if you’ve been a victim of a recent workplace accident locally.

How Can California Employers Prevent Workplace Accidents?

Employers must take proactive steps to protect their workers and work diligently to keep them safe. To prevent workplace accidents, employers should:

• Implement an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)
• Create procedures for emergencies and educate employees on these procedures
• Regularly conduct inspections
• Monitor staff health
• Provide comprehensive employee training
• Strongly enforce safety protocols
• Foster what’s considered a safety-first workplace culture

Injury and Illness Prevention Program

Also, California mandates that every company create an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). IIPP is a workplace safety program that’s intended to prevent work-related illnesses and injuries. A company’s IIPP must be written and must be easily accessible to every employee. An IIPP can improve employee morale, increase employee productivity, improve workplace safety, and help lower overall business costs.

Workplace safety information for employers and employees is accessible through reliable websites like:

• General workplace information: www.dir.ca.gov/dosh
• Cal/OSHA safety regulations: www.dir.ca.gov/samples/search/query.htm
• Cal/OSHA health and safety publications: www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/puborder.asp

With reasonable effort, employers in California can work to keep their employees safe.

How Can California Employees Prevent Workplace Accidents?

California employees have a legal right to a safe workplace free of hazards. California’s 2023 population was 38,965,193 residents, and statistical data indicates that 2.4 out of every 100 full-time workers in the US were hurt or sustained an illness as a result of nonfatal workplace incidents. Employers throughout the US reported approximately 2.6 million injury/illness cases. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows 439 fatal work injuries in California.

This data indicates an alarming number of workplace accidents. Yet, many employee accidents are preventable. If you were an employee hurt in an accident at work, you may wonder how you could have avoided the accident in the first place. California employees should:

• Follow relevant safety guidelines
• Use appropriate equipment
• Report hazardous workplace conditions
• Take breaks and avoid shortcuts
• Participate in employee training and safety discussions

Many accidents are avoidable through improved employee/employer safety training and safety measures. If employees are aware of potential workplace hazards, they are typically less likely to become accident victims or to become ill.

What Steps Should I Take If I Was Hurt in a Work-Related Accident?

If you’ve been a victim of a recent workplace accident, you should get medical care and report your injury right away at work. Regardless of your sustained injury, you can take active steps to bolster your own claim. Document your accident by taking photographs and videos, writing down details, and gathering important contact information from any witnesses to your accident.

Next, you should consider speaking with a trusted attorney who is experienced in handling injury claims. An attorney can help investigate what happened at work and help pursue every method of accident recovery. Plus, they can often maximize your overall financial award. Contact an attorney to schedule your initial consultation.

FAQs About Workplace Accident Law in San Francisco,CA

Who Enforces Workplace Safety Requirements?

OSHA enforces IIPP requirements and inspects businesses to ensure safety compliance. California employers have a variety of different responsibilities under OSHA regulations. If they fail to comply with OSHA requirements, they can face unintended consequential costs like increased premiums for their insurance through workers’ comp, higher employee medical costs, and even legal claims if employees are victims of workplace accidents.

Do OSHA Regulations Apply to Restaurant Employees?

Yes, OSHA regulations apply to employees in many different industries, including restaurants in California. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration provides workplace standards and regulations that are meant to keep all Californian workers, including undocumented workers, safe. Their regulations help workers reduce their exposure to dangerous conditions and workplace hazards.

If you are hurt at work or need help making sure your workplace is OSHA-compliant, an experienced California attorney can discuss your specific situation.

What Does a California Workplace Accident Attorney Cost?

All California attorneys set their own fees for their legal assistance. Attorneys usually set their fees based on their level of experience and the case complexity. More experienced attorneys and more complicated cases typically cost more.

If you’re considering a specific attorney, many can discuss your case and their written fee agreement at an initial consultation. If you need help, contact Bridges Law Firm for an initial consultation.

How Much Can I Expect to Get for a California Workplace Accident?

The amount you might expect to get for your recovery if you win your case depends on whether you’re filing under workers’ compensation or in the California civil courts. An attorney can explore the amount to which you may be entitled under the California workers’ comp claim system.

Also, if you believe your recovery through workers’ comp isn’t sufficient to cover your damages after a workplace accident, an attorney can discuss your likelihood of supplemental recovery in court.

Contact Bridges Law Firm for Your Workplace Accident

If you need reliable legal help after a workplace accident or to pursue a workers’ compensation claim in California, Bridges Law Firm can discuss your specific circumstances. Our firm stands above the rest in helping employees injured at work. We work proactively and aggressively for clients, and we can help maximize your recovery. Bridges Law Firm attorneys have years of experience fighting for our clients.

We have two convenient law office locations, and each location is convenient to a nearby BART station. The San Francisco office is near the 24th Street Mission station, and our Hayward office is accessible via the Hayward and City Hall stations. Contact our offices to schedule an initial consultation with a compassionate attorney. Our legal team can help you explore your legal options.