BACKGROUND: In 2014, the use of recreational marijuana was legalized in the state of Colorado. Prior to this legalization, medical marijuana had been legalized in the November 2000 election. The legalization of recreational marijuana started a new industry in Colorado involving the cultivation and selling of an agricultural product that is not recognized as a legal agricultural product at a federal level. The emergence of a new industry led occupational health and safety professionals to find ways in which they could begin understand what health and safety risks might exist for employees in the marijuana cultivation business. Currently, there are not many studies that describe these risks that have been published. It was also recognized that employers themselves may not be aware of the OSHA and other regulations needed to make sure their employees were protected on the job.
METHODS: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and its partners recognized that employers and employees in this new industry may not understand how to develop and implement a worker safety and health program. A multi-disciplinary group of industrial hygienists and safety professionals was formed to understand the potential risks within the industry. The goal was to develop a comprehensive guide to help those employers within marijuana industry build an industrial safety program that follows best safety and health practices outlining OSHA and other federal requirements. State specific regulations such as fire safety and pesticide were also included in the document resource.
RESULTS: The result of the collaboration was the publishing of a health and safety guide accessible to the marijuana industry. We expect this document to be the foundation of health and safety training programs for the marijuana industry in the state and a model of practice for other states that are facing this new industry. Although this guide is directly focused on the potential hazards in the marijuana industry, the collaborative process used and the resulting guide can be used as a model of outreach to emerging industries.
CONCLUSIONS: The legalization of recreational marijuana developed a new large scale industry in Colorado where occupational health risks had not been previously addressed. Developing a best practice guide for occupational health and safety through industry and subject matter expert collaboration can help new industries understand what is needed to build a culture of safety in their workplace.