When you go to work, you expect to return safe and sound at the end of the day. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and one of the reasons why this might not be the case over the coming months is high temperatures.
Some workplaces are much more susceptible to the heat than others, and it might reach a point where you think your employer is being unreasonable in expecting you to continue.
California, together with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has produced a set of Heat Illness Prevention Standards that employers should follow in order to protect their employees when the mercury soars. They include measures for those who work indoors as well as those who work outside.
What must employers do?
Employers are obligated to implement certain safety measures at 82 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, they should provide water, adequate shade and breaks to cool off and encourage workers to make use of them.
They should also train employees about the risks of heat and what they can do to minimize those risks, as well as how to recognize symptoms of heat illness in themselves or others. Supervisors must also be trained in how to monitor the heat and its effects and how to respond to signs of heat illness. Further rules come into play at 95 degrees Fahrenheit for some workplaces.
Learning more about your rights may be crucial if you believe your employer is failing to protect your health and safety or has penalized you for refusing to work without the necessary protective measures being in place