Cal/OSHA reminds employers with outdoor workers to take steps to prevent heat illness

From Cal/OSHA:  “All employers with outdoor workers should take steps to prevent heat illness and to review high temperature advisories and warnings in effect across California this week.

The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for high temperatures in parts of San Diego, Imperial and Riverside counties, as well as heat advisories for many other parts of the state this week… To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, employers should provide cloth face coverings or allow workers to use their own.

Cloth face coverings are not personal protective equipment, but may help prevent the spread of the disease.  Employers should be aware that wearing face coverings can make it more difficult to breathe and harder for a worker to cool off, so additional breaks may be needed to prevent overheating.  Workers should have face coverings at all times, but they should be removed in outdoor high heat conditions when others are not nearby to help prevent overheating.  The general workforce is not encouraged to use surgical masks or respirators as face coverings at this time.”