Cal/OSHA reminds employers to protect workers from heat illness as triple-digit temperatures are expected in Southern California July 22–27
As temperatures climb into the triple digits across Southern California, Cal/OSHA is reminding employers to take required steps to prevent heat illness, including providing workers with adequate water, shade or cool-down areas, rest breaks and training.
The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories and extreme heat watches across the region. The heat is expected to begin on Wednesday, July 22, peak on Thursday and remain well above normal through Monday, July 27.
Heat advisories take effect Wednesday for portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. Temperatures are expected to reach 100 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit in inland Riverside and San Bernardino counties and 95 to 100 degrees in portions of Orange and San Diego counties.
Source: https://www.weather.gov/sgx
Source: Las Vegas, NV
Extreme heat watches are also in effect from Thursday, July 23 through Monday, July 27, for portions of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties. Temperatures could reach 97 to 107 degrees in the valleys and mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties and up to 108 degrees in the Antelope Valley. In San Bernardino County, the Apple and Lucerne valleys could experience temperatures ranging from 103 to 108 degrees, and the Morongo Basin and surrounding high desert – including Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley – could see temperatures of 108 to 114 degrees.
Employers must remain vigilant and ensure that workers have access to water, shade or cool-down areas, and adequate rest breaks.
Heat illness is a serious and potentially fatal workplace hazard. Under Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Standards, employers are legally required to protect workers from heat-related illness in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. Employers may be covered under both the indoor and outdoor regulations if they have workers in each setting. See the Comparison Chart of Indoor and Outdoor Heat Illness Prevention Standards for more information.
Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment regulation applies to most indoor workplaces, such as restaurants, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities. For indoor workplaces where the temperature reaches 82 degrees, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat illness. Some of the requirements include providing water, rest, cool-down areas, and training.
To prevent heat illness at outdoor worksites, the law requires employers to provide outdoor workers fresh water, access to shade (which must be in place when temperatures exceed 80 degrees) and, whenever requested by a worker, cool-down rest breaks in addition to regular breaks. In certain industries, when the temperature at outdoor worksites reaches or exceeds 95 degrees, Cal/OSHA’s standard requires additional protections. The industries with additional high-heat requirements are agriculture, construction, landscaping, oil and gas extraction and transportation of agricultural products, construction materials or other heavy materials. High-heat procedures include ensuring employees are observed regularly for signs of heat illness and establishing effective communication methods.
Employers in both settings must also maintain a written prevention plan with effective training for supervisors and employees to recognize the common signs and symptoms of heat illness, and what to do in case of an emergency.
Additional Resources
Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention special emphasis program includes enforcement of the heat standards as well as multilingual outreach and training programs for California’s employers and workers. Details on heat illness prevention requirements, training materials and tools are available on Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention web page and at the 99calor.org.
Cal/OSHA has established the Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) Network, a voluntary partnership aimed at increasing awareness among employers and workers about the importance of preventing heat illness. To join the HIP Network email HIPNetwork@dir.ca.gov.
About Cal/OSHA
Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California.
Workers who have questions about safety and health in the workplace can call 833-579-0927 to speak with a live bilingual Cal/OSHA representative between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices.
Workers in California are protected regardless of immigration status.
Employers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.
Cal/OSHA is a division of the California Department of Industrial Relations.