Summer Heat Brings Employer Obligations to Prevent Heat Illness

As temperatures begin to climb across California, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) reminds employers to take steps to protect workers from heat-related illnesses in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. These protections include providing access to drinking water, cool-down areas and more frequent rest breaks.

Heat illness is a serious and potentially fatal workplace hazard that can happen in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. Employers with employees working in both environments may be subject to both standards.

Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment regulation applies to most indoor workplaces, including restaurants, warehouses and manufacturing facilities. For indoor workplaces where temperatures reach 82 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must take steps to protect employees from heat illness.

Cal/OSHA’s outdoor heat illness standard applies only to “outdoor places of employment.” Sometimes what’s considered an outdoor place of employment is obvious — like road work, landscaping and construction sites — but other outdoor workplaces may not be obvious, like outdoor areas adjacent to buildings such as loading docks.

For outdoor workers, shade must be available whenever temperatures exceed 80 degrees. And certain industries face additional obligations when temperatures reach or exceed 95 degrees. These high-heat requirements apply to agriculture, construction, landscaping, oil and gas extraction, and the transportation of agricultural products, construction materials and other heavy materials.

Under high-heat conditions, employers must implement additional safety measures, including ensuring employees are observed for signs of heat illness and maintaining effective communication methods so workers can quickly report symptoms or emergencies.

Preparing for Summer

Regardless of whether employees work indoors or outdoors, employers must maintain a written heat illness prevention plan and provide effective training to both supervisors and employees.

Training should help workers recognize common signs and symptoms of heat illness and understand the steps to take if a heat-related emergency occurs. Supervisors should also understand their responsibilities for monitoring employees and responding appropriately when heat illness symptoms are reported or observed.

Cal/OSHA offers a variety of resources to help employers comply with the state’s heat illness prevention requirements, including training materials, compliance guidance and an online Heat Illness Prevention tool.

With summer near and heat advisories becoming more common throughout the state, now is an ideal time for employers to review their heat illness prevention programs and ensure all required protections are in place.

Talia DeMello, Legal Editor, CalChamber

CalChamber members can read more about Heat Illness Prevention: Outdoor and Indoor Standards in the HR Library. Not a member? See what CalChamber can do for you.