Don’t get burned by California’s Heat Illness Prevention Regulations

Whether they work in the fields, at a construction site, or out on the local streets, many Visalia employees work outdoors. Employers may not be aware that there are certain rules that apply to outdoor employees. If you have employees that work outside, then your business is covered by the California Heat Illness Prevention Regulations.

The law defines “outdoor work” broadly. Open areas like agricultural fields, storage yards, and constructions sites clearly constitute outdoor workplaces. Yet outdoor areas adjacent to buildings, e.g., loading docks, are also considered “outdoors” if an employee spends a significant amount of time working in them.

So assuming your business is covered by these regulations, what are you required to do? Employers must have an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) which provides first aid and emergency response. All IIPPs must include effective procedures for hazard identification, correction, investigation of employee injuries, and communication with employees about health and safety matters.

Employers must also ensure that employees have adequate drinking water. For employees working in the heat, a minimum of one quart of drinking water per hour must be available to each employee to replace water lost by exertion in the heat.

In addition, the heat illness prevention standard requires employers to provide employees access to an area with shade. Employers must always have the capability to provide shade promptly if it is requested by an employee. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health has mandated that “adequate access to shade includes having shade actually present when the presence of shade is necessary to protect employees from heat illness.”

Non-agricultural employers may provide cooling measures other than shade, if they can demonstrate that the alternative is at least as effective as shade. Such cooling measures include other options such as fans and misting devices where the employer can demonstrate that they are at least as effective as shade at allowing the body to cool.

While these regulations are somewhat technical, and do not apply to all businesses, many Visalia businesses are required to comply with these rules because their employees must work outdoors. Following these guidelines will ensure a safe, productive workplace for outdoor employees, and will eliminate problems down the road.