After the catastrophic wildfires of 2018, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) sought to protect outdoor workers from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke by adopting an emergency regulation — with the intention of implementing a permanent regulation soon afterward.
The process began in response to a petition the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) received on December 13, 2018, filed jointly by the California Labor Federation, Worksafe and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation. Prompted by the devastating wildfires in recent years, the petition asked for emergency regulatory protection for outdoor workers from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. Cal/OSHA adopted its emergency wildfire smoke exposure regulation in July of 2019.
The emergency regulation was subsequently extended until Cal/OSHA could revise and adopt a permanent regulation, which it did in early 2021. For workplaces impacted by wildfire smoke, the regulation requires employers to establish a communication system, train their employees, monitor the air quality index (AQI) and take protective actions when the AQI is too high.
Download CalChamber's free "Employer Requirements Under California's Emergency Wildfire Smoke Regulation" white paper for more details about employer requirements under this law.
Published May 4, 2021
