Heat Illness Prevention Plan

In California, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat illness in both indoor and outdoor workplaces under California Code of Regulations, Title 8 (T8CCR), sections 3395 and 3396. Employers may be covered under both the indoor and outdoor regulations if they have both indoor and outdoor workplaces. 

For outdoor workplaces, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat illness. Some of the requirements include providing water, shade, rest, and training. For indoor workplaces where the temperature reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat illness. Some of the requirements include providing water, rest, cool-down areas, methods for cooling down the work areas under certain conditions, and training.

The University of San Francisco's indoor and outdoor Heat Illness Prevention Plan is available as a PDF copy.

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When temperatures exceed 80°F, Supervisors/managers will conduct the Work Planning and Site Checklist-Outdoor Work to ensure we are taking the necessary steps to prevent employee heat-related illness.

Supervisors and Managers can protect employees from outdoor heat illness by:

  • Provide Clean Drinking Water
    • Provide access to potable water that is fresh, suitably cool, free of charge, and located as close as possible to work areas
  • Access to Cool-Down Areas
    • For outdoor workplaces, shade must be present when temperatures are greater than 80°F. When temperatures are less than 80°F, shade must be available upon request. Shade and cool-down areas must be blocked from direct sunlight, large enough to accommodate the number of workers on rest breaks so they can sit comfortably without touching each other, and as close as possible to the work areas. 
  • Cool-Down Rest Periods
    • Encourage workers to take preventative cool-down rest periods. Allow workers who ask for a cool-down rest period to take one. Monitor workers taking such rest periods for symptoms of heat-related illness.
      • Steps for cool-down rest periods include:
        • Monitoring workers and asking them if they are experiencing symptoms of heat illness.
        • Encouraging affected workers to stay in the shade.
        • Resting and not being allowed to work until signs or symptoms of heat illness have abated.
        • If heat exhaustion/stroke is present, the supervisor will contact Public Safety and/or 911.
  • High Heat Procedures
    • Have and implement procedures to deal with heat when the temperature equals or exceeds 95°F and when employees must enter designated confined space areas for repair or maintenance.  If possible, limit strenuous tasks to morning or late afternoon.  Procedures include observing and communicating effectively with workers.  Remind workers to drink water and take cool-down rest breaks.
  • Monitor the Weather
    • Monitoring outdoor temperature and ensure that once the temperature exceeds 80°F, shade structures will be opened and made available to the workers.  When it is at least 95°F, implement high-heat procedures.  Supervisors can find weather information at Weather Underground, OSHA Heat Index, or National Weather Service. There are official smartphone apps for these services.
  • Emergency Response Procedures
    • Provide first aid or emergency response to workers showing signs or symptoms of heat illness, including contacting emergency medical services and/or Public Safety.
  • Acclimatization
    • Closely observe new workers and newly assigned workers working in hot areas during a 14-day acclimatization period and all workers working during a heat wave.
  • Training
    • Providing training to employees about outdoor heat illness prevention:
      • Employees and supervisors are required to take the online CA Guide to Working in Hot Outdoor Conditions, and Site-specific training should be provided to employees (such as at a pre-shift meeting or safety tailgate). This training includes a review of the items in the Prevention Plan, and should include information about the signs and symptoms of heat illness, access to water and cool down areas, responding to emergencies, and monitoring employees.

The above can be accomplished by a supervisor-led discussion using the EH&S Heat Illness Fact Sheet and the Work Planning and Site Checklist-Outdoor Work provided by EH&S. A copy of the checklist must be available at or near the worksite (This document shall be retained for 3 years).

When the temperature reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit, Supervisors/Managers will conduct the  Work Planning and Site Checklist-Indoor Work to ensure we are taking the necessary steps to prevent employee heat-related illness.

 

Supervisors and Managers can protect employees from indoor heat illness by:

  • Provide Clean Drinking Water
    • Provide access to potable water that is fresh, suitably cool, free of charge, and located as close as possible to work areas and cool-down areas.
  • Access to Cool-Down Areas
    • For indoor workplaces, provide access to at least one cool-down area that must be kept at a temperature below 82°F. Cool-down areas must be blocked from direct sunlight, large enough to accommodate the number of workers on rest breaks so they can sit comfortably without touching each other, and as close as possible to the work areas. For indoor workplaces, the cool-down areas must be kept at less than 82°F and shielded from other high-radiant heat sources.
  • Cool-Down Rest Periods
    • Encourage workers to take preventative cool-down rest periods. Allow workers who ask for a cool-down rest period to take one. Monitor workers taking such rest periods for symptoms of heat-related illness.
    • Steps for cool-down rest periods include:
      • Monitoring workers and asking them if they are experiencing heat illness symptoms.
      • Encouraging affected workers to stay in the shade.
      • Resting and not being allowed to work until signs or symptoms of heat illness have abated.
      • If heat exhaustion/stroke is present, the supervisor will contact Public Safety and/or 911.
  • Assessment and Control Measures
    • Measure the temperature and heat index and record whichever is greater whenever the temperature or heat index reaches 87°F (or temperature reaches 82°F for workers working in clothing that restricts heat removal or high-radiant-heat areas). Implement control measures to keep workers safe. Feasible engineering controls must be implemented first.
  • Monitor the Weather
  • Emergency Response Procedures
    • Provide first aid or emergency response to workers showing signs or symptoms of heat illness, including contacting emergency medical services and/or Public Safety.
  • Acclimatization
    • Closely observe new workers and newly assigned workers working in hot areas during a 14-day acclimatization period and all workers working during a heat wave.
  • Training
    • Providing training to employees about indoor heat illness prevention:
      • Employees and supervisors are required to take the online CA Guide to Working in Hot Indoor Conditions, and Site-specific training should be provided to employees (such as at a pre-shift meeting or safety tailgate). This training includes a review of the items in the Prevention Plan, and should include information about the signs and symptoms of heat illness, access to water and cool down areas, responding to emergencies, and monitoring employees.

The above can be accomplished by a supervisor-led discussion using the EH&S Heat Illness Fact Sheet and the Work Planning and Site Checklist-Indoor Work provided by EH&S. A copy of the checklist must be available at or near the worksite (This document shall be retained for 3 years).

If employees work alone or for extended periods in impacted areas, please contact Joe Murphy at Environmental Health & Safety via murphyj@usfca.edu to schedule an evaluation. EH&S staff will assist in the development of a site-specific safety plan to prevent heat illness.

The National Weather Service provides forecasts for the SF Bay Area and issues heat advisories and warnings during heat waves. It’s also a good idea to monitor on-site temperatures with a thermometer as conditions may vary drastically between different locations on campus; on pavement, athletic fields, and reflected heat from structures can exacerbate heat stress. 

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