California Outdoor/Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Requirements Reminder

As summer temperatures increase across California, employers should revisit workplace heat safety procedures and ensure compliance with the state’s heat illness prevention requirements. California continues to maintain some of the nation’s most comprehensive workplace heat regulations covering both outdoor and indoor work environments.

California’s outdoor heat illness prevention standard technically applies to all outdoor workplaces at all times, but certain requirements are triggered at specific temperature thresholds. Key thresholds include:

• 80°F — Employers must have shade present and available when temperatures exceed 80°F. If temperatures are below 80°F, shade still must be available upon request.

• 95°F — Additional “high-heat” procedures apply in certain industries, including construction, agriculture, landscaping, oil and gas extraction, and certain transportation/delivery operations. These procedures may include closer employee observation, enhanced communication, and mandatory monitoring practices.

  
  

Employers must provide employees with access to fresh drinking water, shaded or cool-down recovery areas, emergency response procedures, and employee/supervisor training on recognizing heat illness symptoms.

Employers should also remember that California’s indoor heat illness prevention standard, which became effective in 2024, remains fully enforceable in 2026. The indoor standard generally applies when indoor temperatures reach 82°F and may require additional monitoring and control measures at higher temperature thresholds or in environments involving radiant heat or heat-retaining protective clothing. Compliance areas employers may want to review include:

• Employee and supervisor heat illness training

• Availability of drinking water and cool-down areas

• Temperature monitoring practices

• Emergency response procedures

• Acclimatization procedures for new or returning employees

Additional Resources:

· California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA): https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/

· Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Resources: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/heatillnessinfo.html