All indoor workers in California have rights that protect them from the heat and other hazards. When temperatures are greater than 82 degrees indoors, the law requires your employer to protect you with:
Indoor workers must have access to fresh, suitably cool drinking water. The drinking water must be placed as close as possible to where workers are working and in indoor cool-down areas. There should be enough water for each worker to drink at least 32 ounces per hour. 32 ounces is equal to four cups, or one quart per hour.
Your employer must train you on the importance of frequent consumption of small quantities of water, up to 4 cups per hour, when the work environment is hot and employees are sweating more than usual.
Employees are allowed and encouraged to take a preventative cool-down rest in a cool-down area when they feel the need to do so to protect themselves from overheating. During this break you should be monitored for symptoms of heat illness and not allowed to return to work until any signs have gone away. The break should be at least 5 minutes.
Cool-down Areas
Employees have the right to access a cool-down area whenever needed. The cool-down areas should be kept at 82 degrees or cooler, and they should be located close to where employees are working.
The employer needs to provide cool-down areas large enough to accommodate all employees who are taking a rest or break so that they can sit comfortably without touching each other.
Under certain conditions, employers must do what they can to cool down the work area, such as using air conditioning or other controls. If that is not enough, employers must also limit the amount of time spent working in hot areas, such as by rotating employees out of hot work environments. If that is still not enough, employers must provide personal heat-protective clothing for employees to wear while working.
Employees have a right to these additional provisions when:
- Temperatures are above 87 degrees
- Temperatures are above 82 degrees and employees wear clothing that limits their ability to cool down
- Temperatures are above 82 degrees and employees work in an area where there is an object giving off heat, causing the temperature in the area to be higher
Before beginning work in hot indoor areas, your employer must provide training on heat illness prevention.
The training for employees and supervisors must at least include the following:
- The risk factors for heat illness. Training should explain how weather, exertion, clothing, and personal protective equipment affect your risk of heat illness.
- The employer's procedures for complying with water, shade and cool-down rest requirements.
- The common signs and symptoms of heat illness, and appropriate first aid/emergency responses to the different types of heat illness.
- The importance of immediately reporting signs or symptoms of heat illness to the employer or supervisor.
- Procedures for contacting and directing emergency services to the worksite if needed.
- Prior to supervising workers, supervisors should receive training that includes the same as above as well as their role in implementing heat illness prevention procedures and how to monitor weather reports.
Heat Illness Prevention Plan Back to top
Your employer must establish, implement and maintain an effective heat illness prevention plan. The plan should be in writing in both English and the language understood by the majority of the employees. A copy of the plan must be available to employees at worksites.
The plan can be part of your employer's general injury prevention plan but must include at a minimum: information on access to water and cool-down areas, and procedures for emergencies, periods of high heat, and acclimatization (getting used to the heat).