(May 20, 2011) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the U.S. Department of Labor has launched a national campaign to educate workers and their employers about the hazards of working outdoors in the heat and steps to prevent heat-related illnesses.

California became the first state in the nation to adopt a comprehensive heat illness prevention standard for outdoor workers in July 2006. The regulations, implemented by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), mandated training for employees and supervisors on heat illness prevention, symptoms and treatment.

The California regulations apply to all companies with employees working in outdoor places of employment. In addition to the training requirements, employers must provide potable drinking water, access to shade, and compile heat illness prevention procedures, including employee training, in writing.

Federal Program

Federal OSHA has worked closely with Cal/OSHA to adapt materials from the state's successful outreach campaign on heat illness for use in the national effort. OSHA also created a new web page to provide information and resources on heat illness, including how to prevent it and what to do in an emergency, for workers and employers.

In addition, OSHA is now partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on weather service alerts that will incorporate worker safety precautions when heat alerts are issued across the country. NOAA also will include pertinent worker safety information on its Heat Watch Web page.

Heat Illness Prevention Network

The California Chamber of Commerce is a founding member of the state’s Heat Illness Prevention Network (HIP), which is administered by Cal/OSHA.

The HIP Network is a voluntary public/private partnership established to inform employers and employees on heat illness prevention measures in order to prevent fatalities and create a safer working environment in California.

Cal/OSHA provides timely information to network associations and employers, who in turn share that information with their associates and/or employees. Members in the network are asked to:

• Receive and share information from Cal/OSHA regarding the prevention of heat illness, primarily if there is a heat wave. It is not necessary to establish new communication channels if existing distribution channels are in place and are effective.
• Encourage member employers to address the risk of heat illness through their injury and illness prevention program using information provided by Cal/OSHA.
• Track communications through the network to members or employees, and share general information about how many employers and employees are reached. This information is requested simply to demonstrate the reach and potential effectiveness of the HIP Network, and will be used only in the aggregate, unless expressly authorized otherwise.

Joining HIP

HIP Network membership is free and interested parties can join by submitting name, title, organization name, telephone number and e-mail to communications@dir.ca.gov.

Heat Illness Prevention Webinar

Employers with outdoor workers must train their supervisors to recognize the symptoms of heat illness and take steps for prevention. On May 21, CalChamber is making available the on-demand version of itsHeat Illness Prevention – How to Comply with New Rules Webinar to teach employers how to comply with the new Cal/OSHA regulations.

Exposure to extreme heat and high humidity can subject employees to physical conditions, ranging from inconvenient to life-threatening. Cal/OSHA has adopted specific regulations to protect employees who work outdoors.

• Recent changes to Cal/OSHA’s regulations,
• Required supervisor training, 
• How to recognize symptoms of heat illness, 
• Heat illness risk factors, 
• What employers must do to prevent heat illness.