Workplace Safety and Health

COVID-19 and Workplace Safety - The global COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for California agricultural employers, who could not cease operations or work off-site during the pandemic. The Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) and dozens of overlapping, confusing and sometimes conflicting guidance documents, directives, and executive orders from state, local and federal authorities continue to pose compliance problems for California agricultural employers:

Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS): COVID-19 News & Resources for Farm Employers
California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA): Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Guidance and Resources
Cal/OSHA: COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standard (GISO 3205, 3205.1, 3205.2, 3205.3, 3205.4)
California Department of Public Health (DPH): Guidance Documents
Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, UC Davis (Western Center): COVID-19 Resources

Heat Illness Protection & Prevention - California’s first-in-the-nation Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) standard has protected outdoor employees, including agricultural employees, from hazards associated with heat exposure in the workplace. HIP standard enforcement has frequently been the most-cited standard by Cal/OSHA inspectors visiting California farms, but the agency indicates in public communication that agricultural employers generally do a good job furnishing basic HIP requirements like water, shade, and rest.

FELS: Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) Compliance Resources from FELS
FELS: FELS Heat Stress Prevention (video)
FELS: Safety Tailgate Training: Preventing Heat Illness (PDF)
Cal/OSHA: Heat Illness Prevention
Cal/OSHA: Heat Illness Prevention in Outdoor Places of Employment (GISO 3395)
Cal/OSHA Consultation Services Branch eTools: Resources for Preventing Heat Illness
U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC): Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat Illness
Western Center: Heat Illness Prevention

Wildfire Smoke Protection – The Wildfire Smoke standard requires education for employees about the hazards of wildfire smoke, provision by employers of respiratory protection when air quality warrants it while allowing vital outdoor work like food production to continue.

FELS: Wildfire Smoke Employee Protection Resources
FELS: Safety Tailgate Training: Wildfire Smoke (PDF)
Cal/OSHA: Worker Protection form Wildfire Smoke
Cal/OSHA: Protection from Wildfire Smoke (GISO 5141.1)
Western Center: Wildfire Smoke Exposure

Agricultural Night Work Regulation - California farm employees frequently work during night time hours, both to avoid the hazards of heat during production seasons and to safeguard the quality of produce from the potential negative effects of high temperatures. The Night Work regulation requires provision of work area lighting, high-visibility clothing, and training for employees on the unique hazards of working outdoors at night.

- FELS: Cal/OSHA Night Work Regulation Resources from FELS
- FELS: Safety Tailgate Training: Working Safely at Night

Workplace Safety and Health

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