Outdoor Worker Safety in Summer Heat is a Priority

Cal/OSHA urges contractors who employ outdoor workers to take steps that ensure their safety while working in hot summer temperatures.

Preparation is essential to prevent heat illness, which, in the early stages, can include headaches, fatigue, excessive sweating, and muscle cramps, and can rapidly progress to mental confusion, vomiting, fainting, seizures and death.

Employers are required to take the following minimum, basic steps:

• Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention.
• Provide employees with enough cool, fresh water to drink at least one quart per hour, and encourage them to do so.
• Provide access to shaded areas, and encourage employees to take rest breaks of at least five minutes – before they feel ill.
• Develop and implement written procedures – in English and other languages as necessary – for complying with Cal/OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Standard.

Employers also must take special protective measures when temperatures reach 95 degrees or above. Supervisors are required to:

• Observe workers for signs of heat illness.
• Provide close supervision of workers in their first 14 days of employment (to ensure acclimatization)
• Have effective communication systems in place for calling emergency responders, if necessary

Cal/OSHA, a division within the state Department of Industrial Relations, offers additional information and resources on heat illness prevention online, with illustrated heat illness fact sheets, videos and training kits available in multiple languages. The online resources include details on free training for all employers with outdoor worksites in Northern and Southern California.