If you have employees that work outdoors in California, you must protect them from heat illness.
The law requires that you:
- Maintain a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan.
- Train employees on the signs, symptoms and emergency response procedures for heat illness.
- Provide shade whenever employees ask for it and when temperatures reach or exceed 80 degrees.
- Provide enough cool, fresh water for employees to drink at least one quarter of a gallon per hour, and encourage them to do so.
- Allow employees to take preventative cool-down rest breaks in the shade in addition to their regular breaks.
Free Heat Illness Prevention Assistance
- Attend a free training held by Cal/OSHA and other groups on heat illness prevention.
- Use Cal/OSHA's online training tool for comprehensive information on the Heat Illness Prevention Regulation, including best practices and sample procedures for responding to heat illness.
- Contact Cal/OSHA Consultation Services for free assistance with developing a heat illness prevention plan and other requirements. Call 800-963-9424 or email infocons@dir.ca.gov
- Visit the Resources page for materials to help train workers or contact heat@dir.ca.gov to place a free order for printed materials.
Employer Training Resources
These resources, when combined with training on your company's specific procedures,
are designed to help you meet compliance with the Heat Illness Prevention standard. Visit the Resources page
for a full list of training and educational materials available for print order or download.
- Posters to use as visuals:
- Agriculture:
- Construction:
- Worker fact sheets:
- Trainer's guide with easy-to-follow instructions:
- Supervisor's daily checklist for the worksite: