On May 26, 2020, Cal/OSHA sent a news release reminding all employers to protect outdoor employees from heat illness. In their press release, they outlined four significant steps in protecting outdoor employees:
- 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 to protect themselves from overheating. They should not wait until they feel sick to cool down.
We are approaching the warmest part of the year quickly and encourage the citrus industry to review guidelines on protecting your employees from heat illness. For questions, please contact our office at (559) 592-3790. You can view
the full news release by following this link.
