Cal/OSHA Urges Employers to Protect Workers from High Heat

ADVISORY

Free heat safety training materials are available to order from Cal/OSHA

Cal/OSHA is urging all employers to protect workers from heat illness as high temperatures are forecast across California.

Temperatures are likely to increase this weekend with a high on Tuesday in the areas listed below:

Redding: 110°F	Chico: 108°F
Modesto: 106°F	Sacramento: 102°F
Fresno: 110°F	Bakersfield: 110°F
Stockton: 104°F	Imperial County: 113°F

Employers must identify and correct all hazards at work, including heat in indoor and outdoor workplaces.

For indoor workplaces, there is a pending regulation to create specific steps for employers to follow to prevent heat illness. While that regulation is pending final approval, employers must still use their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) to protect indoor workers from heat illness. Read more on Cal/OSHA's webpage about indoor heat illness prevention.

In outdoor workplaces, employers must protect workers from heat illness by providing water, rest, shade and training:

• 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 32 ounces (or four cups of water) per hour and encourage workers to do so.
• Rest - Encourage workers to take a cool-down rest in the shade for at least five minutes when they feel the need to do so to protect themselves from overheating. Workers should not wait until they feel sick to cool down.
• Shade - Provide proper shade when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. Workers have the right to request and be provided shade to cool off at any time.

If you need materials to support heat illness prevention training, Cal/OSHA will mail free training materials to employers, workers, community groups and worker representatives. Visit www.99calor.org to view the free training materials that are available in multiple languages for print order and download. Email [email protected] to request free print copies.

Cal/OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention special emphasis program includes enforcement of the heat regulation as well as multilingual outreach and training programs for California's employers and workers. Details on heat illness prevention requirements and training materials are available online on Cal/OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention web page and the 99calor.org informational website. A Heat Illness Prevention online tool is also available on Cal/OSHA's website.

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Employers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA's Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.

Workers who have questions about heat illness prevention in indoor and outdoor places of employment, can call 833-579-0927 to speak with a bilingual Cal/OSHA representative Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices.

Cal/OSHA has established the Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) Network, a voluntary partnership aimed at increasing awareness among employers and workers about the importance of preventing heat illness in California and the importance of taking steps to prevent work-related illnesses and fatalities. To join the HIP Network, email [email protected].

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