Hazard Recognition and Control for the Emerging North American Cannabis Industry Webinar Recording
Earn 1.5 Contact Hours
Member $140 | Nonmember $185 | Student $25
As the legal cannabis industry rapidly expands across North America, OEHS/IH professionals face a unique challenge: navigating a complex landscape of emerging hazards, evolving regulations, and inconsistent safety practices. This webinar demystifies the cannabis sector by breaking down its core segments - cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and retail - and analyzing the most hazardous activities and frequent exposures within each.
Participants will explore evidence-based control strategies tailored to cannabis operations, including job hazard analyses, PPE assessments, and workforce health protocols. Presenters will also examine current injury and illness trends, regulatory citations, and the patchwork of laws and standards shaping occupational health and safety in this space.
Led by Certified Industrial Hygienists with deep experience in cannabis-related H&S programs, this session offers practical insights and a dedicated Q&A to support professionals in applying strategic health and safety approaches to a rapidly evolving industry.
Learning Objectives
After this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify key workplace hazards across cannabis industry segments, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, and retail environments.
- Outline control strategies and safety program components relevant to cannabis operations, such as JHAs, PPE evaluations, and pre-employment health screenings.
- Analyze the current legal landscape of cannabis in North America and its implications for H&S regulation, enforcement, and exposure research.
- Discuss common regulatory citations and recent injury/illness trends to inform proactive risk mitigation strategies.
Presenters
Sylvia Fontes, MS, CIH
Director of Environmental Health Services, FACS
Ms. Fontes is a Certified Industrial Hygienist with more than 40 years of experience in comprehensive industrial hygiene services. Currently the Director of Environmental Health Services for Forensic Analytical Consulting Services, she is responsible for the exposure assessment and environmental health and safety service lines for the firm.
She is currently the Past-Chair of the AIHA Cannabis Health and Safety Committee. Her comprehensive understanding of the field comes from a diverse career across consulting firms and private industry.
Cathy Hovde, CIH, CSP
Founder, Resilient EHS | ACGIH Board Member
Cathy is a trusted advocate for public health and safety, specializing in distilling complex technical concepts into accessible guidance for emerging sectors like cannabis. As founder of Resilient EHS, she mission is to advance workplace health through hands-on training and innovative compliance frameworks.
Her work blends technical precision with creative communication to drive impactful, cost-effective solutions. Cathy proudly serves on the ACGIH Board of Directors.
Marina Jabsky, MPH
Chair, AIHA Cannabis Health and Safety Committee
Marina has been practicing industrial hygiene since 2014, with extensive experience in the evaluation and mitigation of workplace hazards. She provides technical assistance and training to help workers gain the skills they need to address health and safety issues.
Marina holds an MPH from the CUNY School of Public Health. Her research on exposure data and real-time detection systems has been published in The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene and The Synergist.
Rob Kleinerman, MPH, CIH
Principal, Kleinerman & Associates
Rob is the Principal of Kleinerman & Associates, providing EHS consulting services across the western United States. His expertise includes the development of Occupational Health and Safety Management systems, OSHA compliance, and facility decommissioning.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Rob specializes in laboratory safety, control of potent pharmaceutical compounds, and emergency preparedness & response.