Cal/OSHA Urges Employers to Strengthen Heat Safety Measures Ahead of Southern California Heat Wave

Highlights

• Cal/OSHA issued a heat safety advisory as triple-digit temperatures are forecast across Southern California from July 22–27.
• Employers must provide water, shade or cool-down areas, rest breaks, and heat illness training for workers.
• Additional high-heat protections apply to construction and other outdoor industries when temperatures reach 95°F or higher.
• Indoor workplaces reaching 82°F must also implement heat illness prevention measures under California regulations.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is reminding employers to implement required heat illness prevention measures as Southern California prepares for several days of extreme heat, with temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit in many inland communities.

The advisory follows heat advisories and extreme heat watches issued by the National Weather Service for portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties between July 22 and July 27.

Employers Must Follow Indoor and Outdoor Heat Safety Rules

Cal/OSHA said employers are legally required to protect workers from heat-related illness in both indoor and outdoor workplaces.

For outdoor job sites, employers must provide:

• Access to fresh drinking water
• Shade or cool-down areas, which must be available when temperatures exceed 80°F
• Cool-down rest breaks upon request
• Employee and supervisor training on heat illness prevention

Additional high-heat procedures are required when outdoor temperatures reach 95°F or higher in industries including construction, agriculture, landscaping, oil and gas extraction, and transportation of agricultural products and construction materials. These measures include increased worker observation and reliable communication procedures to quickly identify signs of heat illness.

Indoor workplaces covered by California's heat illness prevention regulation must implement protective measures when temperatures reach 82°F, including access to water, cool-down areas, rest opportunities, and employee training.

Extreme Heat Expected Across Southern California

Forecasts indicate temperatures could reach:

• 100°F to 107°F in inland Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
• 95°F to 100°F in parts of Orange and San Diego counties.
• Up to 108°F in the Antelope Valley.
• 108°F to 114°F in portions of San Bernardino County's high desert, including Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley.

Cal/OSHA also reminded employers to maintain written heat illness prevention plans and ensure supervisors and employees can recognize heat illness symptoms and respond appropriately during emergencies.

Source: DIR State Of California.