About Work Environment

The Work Environment group in SFDPH’s Program on Health, Equity, and Sustainability strives to eliminate health disparities in the work environment through strategies that include:

Assessment: Working with other organizations and agencies to document and monitor work-related health conditions and disparities

Awareness Raising: Educating workers, employers, employment agencies, and others about workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities

Facilitating Compliance & Enforcement: Building internal capacity and relationships with organizations to expand outreach and better facilitate compliance with existing labor laws

Policy Development: Introduce new legislation or policies to address gaps and/or create new protections for workers

Evaluation: Evaluating the impacts and effectiveness of policy to determine whether modifications needed

Work Environment History

Since its inception in 2002, the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH)’s Program on Health, Equity, and Sustainability (PHES) has provided research and technical support for community-led endeavors to improve health and safety for low income and immigrant workers. PHES roles have ranged from process facilitation to participatory research and more formal policy health impact assessments. PHES has also served as a liaison between the health department, researchers, and community advocates. Results of recent work and health related collaborations include:

Vocational training and safe cleaning programs for day laborers and domestic workers

Passage of paid sick days legislation and an increased minimum wage

A nationally-recognied day laborers’ health and safety curriculum

An Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) consultant position to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs) interested in advocating for improved conditions for immigrant workers

Creation and use of digital stories to educate policymakers and CBOs about the economic contributions and dangerous work environment faced by day laborers and domestic workers

A pilot study of workplace conditions in Chinatown restaurants

Exploration of ways to expand SFDPH’s capacity to monitor worker rights and workers’ health

Building on staff experiences, relationships, and a deepened understanding of the need for knowledge, regulation, enforcement and resources to improve working conditions for low income and immigrant populations, PHES developed a Work Environment group in 2008 to institutionalize the health department’s commitment to promote and protect workers’ health.

Contact

For more information about Work Environment, please contact:

Megan Gaydos, MPH at (415) 252-3919

Karen Yu, MPH, REHS at (415) 252-3957.