Cal/OSHA Issues Heat Illness Advisory

Posted by Paul Rusnak|April 2, 2013

Just as temperatures are supposed to hit 80 degrees Wednesday in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Cal/OSHA has issued reminders to employers about their enforcement activities.

“While California’s heat illness standards are the toughest in the country, we will continue to make sure employers and employees know the risks of heat illness and the steps that can be taken to prevent it,” said Christine Baker, director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).

According to the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS), the state’s heat regulations require all employers with outdoor workers take the following steps to protect outdoor workers:
• Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention.
• Provide plenty of water and encourage employees to drink frequently.
• Provide a shaded area for workers to take a “cool down” break.
• Ensure that workers are given time to acclimatize to the heat.
• Prepare an emergency heat illness response plan for the worksite, with training for supervisors and workers on the steps to take if a worker shows signs or symptoms of heat illness.

Special “High Heat” procedures are also required when temperatures reach 95 degrees, requiring supervisors to take the following extra precautions:
• Observe workers for signs and symptoms of heat illness.
• Remind workers to drink water frequently.
• Provide close supervision of workers in the first 14 days of their employment (to ensure acclimatization).
• Have effective communication systems in place to be able to summon emergency assistance if necessary.

If you have questions, please contact FELS at [email protected] or 800-753-9073.