Cal/OSHA Reminds Employers to Prevent Heat Illness During Period of High Heat in Recent Advisory

Today, Cal/OSHA released an advisory reminding all employers with outdoor workers to review high heat advisories and take steps to prevent heat illness. The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories this week from Monday through Saturday, as a result of high temperatures in various California counties.

Cal/ OSHA requires employers with outdoor workers to do the following to prevent heat illness:

• Plan – Develop and implement an effective written heat illness prevention plan that includes emergency response procedures.
• Training – Train all employees and supervisors on heat illness prevention.
• Water – Provide drinking water that is fresh, pure, suitably cool and free of charge so that each worker can drink at least 1 quart per hour, and encourage workers to do so.
• Shade – Provide shade when workers request it or when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. Encourage workers to take a cool-down rest in the shade for at least five minutes when they feel the need to do so. They should not wait until they feel sick to cool down.
• Space -- Allow enough space and time for employees to take breaks as needed in adequate shade while also maintaining a safe distance from one another; For many employers this will require staggered breaks or increased shaded break areas, or both.
• Cleanse -- Extra infection prevention measures should be in place such as disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, including the water and restroom facilities.
• Face Coverings --provide cloth face coverings or allow workers to use their own; they should be removed in outdoor high heat conditions to help prevent overheating as long as physical distancing can be maintained.

Click here to read the full release.

For more information, please contact Jason Resnick at jresnick@wga.com or 949-885-2253.

at jresnick@wga.com or 949-885-2253.