Eric Fox Authors Law360 Article About Proposed California Rules Governing Heat Issues for Indoor Workers
Eric Fox, San Diego-based of counsel in the Quarles & Brady Labor & Employment Practice Group, wrote an article for Law360 about the potential impact for employers of new rules regarding heat safety for indoor employees proposed by California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).
With heat safety rules already in place for outdoor workers, Cal/OSHA is seeking to also protect outdoor workers. The proposed rules, which likely will take effect early next year, are aimed at indoor work where the temperature exceeds 82 degrees Fahrenheit when employees are present.
In his article, Fox outlined the factors that will come into play under the new rules and explained some of the key steps impacted employers should be prepared to take.
An excerpt:
Employers will have little recourse but to comply with these extensive rules and should start preparing now for these upcoming changes. The first recommended course of action is for employers to start drafting their indoor heat illness prevention plans to disseminate to their employees.
In addition to developing the plans, employers must also educate their employees on heat illness prevention, symptoms to look for and how to respond, and the company's heat illness prevention plans.
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Where there is ambiguity, the rules fall on the side of protecting employees. Employers will have to either implement these complicated rules or proactively create work environments that are climate-controlled to prevent any risk of heat exposure.
Employers should take initiative to get ahead of these proposed rules now so that by the time they are likely implemented, they will already be in compliance and can ensure a safe and cool working environment for their employees.