Weather Service Issues High Heat Advisory Warning

The National Weather Service has issued a high heat advisory, as above-normal temperatures will make it feel more like summer than early fall along much of the California coast. Outdoor employers are reminded to:

• Provide workers with plenty of fresh, cool and accessible water;
• Encourage and remind workers to drink water before they become thirsty and about every 15 minutes;
• Allow workers to acclimatize to heat conditions by gradually increasing exposure over a five-day work period and by implementing more frequent breaks during the first week of work in those conditions;
• Monitor weather reports daily and reschedule jobs with high heat exposure to cooler times of the day;
• Monitor workers for signs and symptoms of heat exposure and encourage employees to report symptoms of any heat-related illnesses;
• Frequently train workers and supervisors about the hazards leading to heat stress and ways to prevent them;
• Implement an emergency plan and ensure supervisors know what to do if someone is experiencing symptoms of heat illness;
• Provide a 10-minute rest break every two hours during periods of high heat.

Information on the heat illness prevention standard and training materials is available online (Heat Illness Prevention and Water. Rest. Shade. Campaign). A Heat Illness Prevention e-tool is also available on Cal/OSHA's website.