Heat Illness Prevention Vital for Workers in Late Summer and Early Fall

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

With Fall on the horizon, and high heat still a hazard for employees working outdoors, it remains critical for employers to practice heat illness prevention on the job.

 These past few months have seen record-breaking heat across California and throughout the U.S., with temperatures reaching as high as 120 degrees in areas like Palm Springs. Since many employers conduct heat illness prevention training in May or June, as we close out Summer and enter Fall, employers might be tempted to reduce their monitoring of heat illness symptoms with workers on the jobsite. However, temperatures can still sore well into September and even October. So, this can be dangerous if employers are no longer vigilant.

 In order to prepare, employers should check their Heat Illness Prevention Program to ensure it meets current standards. The Cal/OSHA website offers a sample written Heat Illness Prevention Program for both indoor and outdoor spaces that employers can download.

 Additionally, employers should keep workers up to date on their heat illness prevention training. Rancho Mesa has added additional dates to our Heat Illness Prevention webinar to help keep employees safe. Clients can register for one of the webinars in the coming weeks to learn how to best protect their workers from heat illness.

 Rancho Mesa is happy to offer the necessary resources clients need to stay prepared. For questions about this and other workshops and webinars, contact your Client Technology Coordinator.