Cal/OSHA announced this week (May 14) that it is taking a multi-faceted approach to protecting California’s outdoor workers from heat illness and injuries that includes a combination of education, outreach and enforcement efforts. This campaign will be the first time Cal OSHA has reached out to workers through paid radio and billboard advertisements to complement training provided to employers and employees.
“Employers need to understand that they are responsible for ensuring that all the requirements under the Heat Illness Prevention Standard are followed,” said Cal OSHA Chief Len Welsh. “Our heat sweeps are designed not only to send employers a strong enforcement message but also to provide employers and employees with information they need to keep their workers safe.”
Strategically targeting the most underserved population of outdoor workers and including messages in Spanish, Punjabi and Hmong, the campaign addresses safety precautions and worker rights. This educational effort highlights the importance of California’s Heat Illness Prevention Standard adopted in July 2006 at the urging of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Since then, the state has been educating workers and employers in outdoor industries about the regulation’s requirements, the risks of working in the heat and ways to stay safe.
Cal/OSHA is continuing and fine tuning its heat illness prevention enforcement efforts. On May 10, Cal/OSHA inspectors began a programmed outreach effort with inspection teams having a continuous presence at agricultural and other outdoor work locations across the state. These inspection locations will vary and be based on where the hottest temperatures exist.
Sincerely,
from Ted Schwartz, Safety Manager, WWW.HRIDEAS.COM. Main: 925.556.4404. Fax to email: 925.359.147.
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