Don Dressler Consulting

Cal/OSHA is going to make heat illness an issue all year round, so if you have any employees who work outdoors, make sure you know the rules and are in compliance. The rules apply to all areas of the state, to all sizes of employers. If you have workers outside, any time, you are subject to inspection and enforcement.

Just when in most areas of California the weather is cooling off, Cal/OSHA is “heating up” its enforcement activity of its OSHA heat illness safety requirements. And many employers are being caught unaware and paying heavy fines as a result. One Los Angeles nursery operator was fined $16,000 as a result of a Cal/OSHA sweep during the most recent heat wave.

Vicky Heza, Deputy Chief for Enforcement of Cal/OSHA recently announced a new “Special Emphasis Program” which will target employers during cool weather periods. Also, “every complaint will be responded to by an on-site inspection.”

Cal/OSHA conducted a “sweep” of 106 work sites during the recent August/September heat wave. While agricultural employers in the Central Valley were in general compliance with the OSHA rules, 100% of the construction, nursery and landscape employers in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Bernardino counties were cited for heat illness rule violations.

In 2007, 486 companies were inspected for heat illness specifically by Cal/OSHA and 327 received citations for violations for the safety standard, and were given initial assessments of $587,275 in fines. The bases of citations were:

143 — Failure to have a written heat illness program
101 — Lack of training for either supervisors or employees
37 — Not adequate water
24 — Failure to provide shade

For a free sample written heat illness plan to guide your Cal/OSHA compliance, just e-mail: info@dondressler.com The sample plan includes a copy of the Cal/OSHA regulation on heat illness.

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Don Dressler Consulting also has available bi-lingual training materials to assist you in meeting your Cal/OSHA requirements. Call 949-533-3742.