With another stretch of extreme heat affecting agricultural regions across the West, employers should take time now to confirm that heat illness prevention procedures are fully implemented, communicated and documented.  

In California, Cal/OSHA recently reminded employers of their obligation to provide workers with adequate water, shade or cool-down areas, rest breaks, and training. Arizona employers should also review their heat safety practices in light of ADOSH’s continued focus on heat-related hazards through its State Emphasis Program and recently approved workplace heat safety guidance. 

Weather forecasts can change quickly, and outdoor crews may face different conditions by location, crop activity, shift schedule and intensity of work. During these periods of intense heat, employers should continue monitoring local forecasts, identify high-risk work areas, and confirm that supervisors understand when additional precautions are required. 

Visit the National Weather Service website for the latest forecasts and heat alerts for specific work locations. 

California: Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Requirements 

Heat illness is a serious and potentially fatal workplace hazard. Under Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Standards, California employers must protect workers from heat-related illness in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. Employers may be covered by both the indoor and outdoor regulations if they have employees working in each setting. 

California’s indoor heat illness prevention regulation applies to most indoor workplaces when temperatures reach 82 degrees. Covered employers must take steps such as providing water, access to cool-down areas, rest breaks, and training. Employers with packinghouses, warehouses, shops or other indoor work areas should evaluate whether both indoor and outdoor heat illness rules apply to their operations. 

For outdoor worksites, employers must provide fresh water, access to shade and cool-down rest breaks whenever requested by a worker. Shade must be available when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. In designated high-heat industries such as agriculture, additional procedures apply when temperatures reach or exceed 95 degrees, including regular observation for signs of heat illness and maintaining effective communication methods for employees and supervisors. 

California employers should also maintain a written heat illness prevention plan and provide effective training so supervisors and employees can recognize the signs and symptoms of heat illness and respond promptly in an emergency. 

Arizona: ADOSH State Emphasis Program – Heat Stress 

Arizona does not currently have a California-style heat-specific OSHA standard. However, Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) continues to emphasize heat illness prevention through its Heat State Emphasis Program and enforcement under Arizona’s General Duty Clause. The program focuses on practical controls such as water, rest, shade, acclimatization, training, and written heat illness prevention procedures. 

In April 2026, the Industrial Commission of Arizona approved workplace heat safety recommendations developed through the state’s Workplace Heat Safety Task Force. The recommendations call for written heat illness prevention plans, ready access to potable water, shade located as close as practicable to the work area, preventative cool-down rests, acclimatization procedures, and training for both employees and supervisors. 

Arizona employers should treat these recommendations as a practical compliance roadmap. Before and during high-heat periods, confirm that crews have enough cool drinking water, shaded recovery areas, clear rest-break practices, a process for acclimatizing new or returning workers, effective emergency-response procedures, and supervisor training that reflects field conditions. 

No matter your location, during periods of intense heat, keep these best practices in mind: 

• Review. Review written heat illness prevention plans before high-heat periods and update them for current worksites, crews and job duties. 

• Confirm. Confirm water, shade or cool-down areas and rest-break procedures are available and understood by supervisors and employees. 

• Train. Train supervisors to recognize early signs of heat illness, monitor employees during high-heat conditions and respond quickly to emergencies. 

• Document. Document training, inspections, corrective actions and any heat-related incidents or near-misses. 

• Don’t Assume. For multi-state operations, avoid assuming that compliance in one state will satisfy another state’s heat-related requirements. Tailor your workplace practices to the specific rules and guidance applicable to each worksite and its location.