As of July 1, 2025, California’s workplace safety rules, known as Cal/OSHA regulations, now cover people who work in domestic services. This means that businesses hiring individuals for jobs like housecleaning, residential landscaping, and gardening, whether short-term or long-term, must follow these safety regulations.
Here’s what businesses with domestic service employees need to do:
- Have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). This involves setting up a plan to keep workers safe and healthy on the job. To easily create your safety plan, try our free IIPP Builder℠.
- Identify and correct dangers. Businesses must look for potential hazards and take steps to correct them. We can help. See Safety Culture: Hazard Identification.
- Keep equipment safe and provide proper gear. All tools and equipment used for the job need to be in good condition. Employers also need to provide their workers with the right personal protective equipment (PPE), like gloves or safety glasses.
- Report injuries to Cal/OSHA. When a worker gets injured on the job, employers must immediately report it to Cal/OSHA.
For details on these rules and to find out if your business is exempt, you can check out Cal/OSHA’s guidance and resources on their Domestic Service Workers page.