Promoting Health and Safety in San Francisco's Chinatown Restaurants: Findings and Lessons Learned from a Pilot Observational Checklist

Abstract

Noncompliance with labor and occupational health and safety laws contributes to economic and health inequities. Environmental health agencies are well positioned to monitor workplace conditions in many industries and support enhanced enforcement by responsible regulatory agencies. In collaboration with university and community partners, the San Francisco Department of Public Health used an observational checklist to assess preventable occupational injury hazards and compliance with employee notification requirements in 106 restaurants in San Francisco's Chinatown. Sixty-five percent of restaurants had not posted required minimum wage, paid sick leave, or workers' compensation notifications; 82% of restaurants lacked fully stocked first-aid kits; 52% lacked antislip mats; 37% lacked adequate ventilation; and 28% lacked adequate lighting. Supported by a larger community-based participatory research process, this pilot project helped to spur additional innovative health department collaborations to promote healthier workplaces.

Studying and Addressing Urban Immigrant Restaurant Worker Health and Safety in San Francisco’s Chinatown District: A CBPR Case Study

“…26 The partnership evaluation consisted of observations, interviews, and surveys with study partners. 27 Study protocols and data collection instruments were approved by UC Berkeley's Institutional Review Board.…”

“…Although a detailed presentation of the study findings is beyond the scope of this paper and is available elsewhere, 3,14,[25][26][27] we highlight here those of most relevance to workers, particularly in relation to their primary concerns, wage theft, and other basic worker rights violations. Survey results (n0405) indicated that almost 60 % of participants had experienced wage theft in at least one of its forms.…”

“…Of those that did, moreover, the great majority had the posting only in English in this largely monolingual Chinese neighborhood. 26 …”

“…The SFDPH and partners published an article in a public health journal with wide dissemination to local and state health departments and practitioners. 26 Finally, the SFDPH partner also followed up with action, writing a number of letters to relevant government regulatory agencies such as the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety citing the findings, encouraging greater enforcement of existing laws, and offering the health department's assistance. These experiences contributed to the health department's examination of internal practices and the subsequent exploration of withholding health permits to restaurants found to be in violation of minimum wage laws and requiring verification of workers' compensation insurance when issuing business operating licenses.…”

“…The health department partner played an important role in communicating with other key agencies, verifying workers' compensation insurance. 26 and continuing collaboration with LOHP to explore possible roles for food safety inspectors in promoting worker health. Concurrently, the community partner co-created a new coalition, the Progressive Workers Alliance (PWA) and together crafted a "low-wage worker bill of rights."…”