California wants to toughen and clarify its heat-illness prevention standard.
The amendments would clarify when and how to provide shade, water and training for workers.
The changes would also set triggers of 85 and 95 degrees for steps to be taken by employers.
Cal/OSHA shut down eight employers in two weeks earlier this year, saying the heat protection they were providing for employees wasn’t adequate.
The agency says its findings show employers need more guidance on protecting workers from heat exposure.
The changes appear to be delayed for now. When Cal-OSHA’s standards board met on June 18, it refused to adopt the emergency amendments after labor and health advocates spoke out against some of the changes.
The amendments would allow grapevines in vineyards to be used as suitable shade. Also, shade could be as far as a five-minute walk away.
Click here for more on California’s heat-illness standard.
