As catastrophic wildfires spread across the state last year, it became clear that California must do more to protect workers when the air quality reaches unhealthy levels.
That’s why the California Labor Federation, Worksafe, and California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation have submitted a petition to Cal/OSHA requesting an emergency standard to protect outdoor workers from wildfire smoke. We are recommending that the standard require employers to implement necessary controls when the Air Quality Index reaches unhealthful levels.
We submitted the petition, which you can read here, at the December 13th Standards Board meeting in Sacramento. The board has six months to decide whether to move forward in creating a standard.
Have you – or other workers you know – been impacted by wildfire smoke while working outdoors? Contact us to share your experience and/or get involved in the push for stronger protections.
