Pub. 5 Issue 4

40 Issue 2 2020 T he State of California enacted an emergency regula- tion in 2019 to protect employees from hazards related to wildfire smoke (https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/ doshreg/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke/Wildfire- smoke-emergency-standard.html). The emergency regulation is in effect until Jan. 20, 2021 (https://www.dir . ca.gov/oshsb/Protection-from-Wildfire-Smoke-Emergency. html) with the possibility of extension. The regulation requires employers to act when the Air Quality Index (AQI) for airborne particulate matter (PM 2.5) is 151 or greater. See Note, at end of article. Outdoor occupations such as agriculture, construction, landscaping, and shops with open layouts are affected. Also, when an employee spends one hour or more outside over a shift, they must comply with this regulation. High traffic areas, such as the showroom, where the front doors are opened frequently, are also impacted. Action Needed: At the beginning of the shift and periodically after that, the employer must check the AQI for PM 2.5. Look for AQI data in real-time at www.airnow.gov and use your zip code. Smartphones under the Weather app also provide the AQI data. If employees may be exposed to wildfire smoke, the employer must find out the current AQI applicable to the work- site. If the current AQI for PM2.5 is 151 or more, the employer is required to: • Check the current AQI before and periodically during each shift. • Provide training to employees. • Lower employee exposures. • Provide respirators and encourage their use. The action taken by the employer may consist of engineering con- trol and/or administrative controls. Engineering control would be placing the employees in a building with an air filtration system California Wildfire Smoke Regulations  CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE — continued on page 41