Cal/OSHA’s new indoor heat illness prevention requirements, finalized in 2024, are designed to protect workers from the risks of heat-related illness in indoor workplaces. Key points of the regulation include:
1. Application: The regulations apply to indoor workplaces where temperatures equal or exceed 82°F, or where workers perform strenuous activities that could lead to heat stress.
2. Heat Illness Prevention Plan: Employers are required to implement a written Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Plan, outlining specific procedures for monitoring heat, training workers, providing shade or cooling areas, and ensuring access to water.
3. Engineering and Administrative Controls: Employers must implement measures to reduce heat exposure, such as ventilation, air conditioning, or adjusting work schedules to avoid peak heat periods.
4. Breaks and Rest Periods: Employees working in high-heat environments must be provided with cool-down rest periods, as well as access to sufficient water for hydration.
5. Monitoring and Acclimatization: Workers need to be closely monitored, especially during acclimatization periods when they are new to hot environments or returning from extended breaks.
6. Training: Employees must be trained on heat illness symptoms, prevention methods, and the company’s procedures for managing heat stress.
These regulations aim to reduce the risk of heat illness in indoor environments and protect workers’ health and safety.
