It’s getting hot out there! The National Weather Service and Cal/OSHA are prompting all employers with outdoor workers to review their heat illness prevention plan and protect their employees ahead of excessive heat in central California. The National Weather Service is forecasting triple-digit temperatures in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare Counties and has issued a heat advisory.
California’s heat illness prevention regulation requires employers with outdoor workers to take the following four steps 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 and when temperatures exceed 80 degrees. Encourage workers to take a cool-down rest in the shade for at least five minutes. They should not wait until they feel sick to cool down.
For more information from Cal/OSHA on preventing Heat Illness, click here.
