With wildfire season upon us yet again, employers must take steps to protect workers from harmful smoke exposure.
California, Oregon, and Washington all have specific regulations addressing how to protect employees from wildfire smoke. Employers in Arizona, Idaho, and Montana are subject to federal OSHA’s General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Although there’s no federal rule specific to wildfire smoke exposure, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends monitoring local air quality (via EPA’s AirNow), adjusting work when smoke levels are high, and providing access to filtered indoor air and N95 respirators.
The rules in California, Oregon, and Washington generally apply to all workers, with limited exceptions for worksites such as enclosed workplaces with mechanical ventilation, vehicles with a cabin air filter, and home offices. Requirements include obligations to improve ventilation, train employees, and offer N95 masks, with escalating protections under worsening air quality, based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM2.5 (airborne particulates with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller).
- Cal/OSHA sets its initial action level at an AQI of 151. See Cal/OSHA’s webpage, “Worker Protection from Wildfire Smoke” for more information.
- Oregon’s initial action level is an AQI of 101. See Oregon OSHA’s fact sheet on its rules for protection from wildfire smoke.
- Washington requires you to train employees on your written program before they are exposed to an AQI of 72 or higher. Additional requirements apply when the AQI reaches 101. See the Washington L&I wildfire smoke webpage for an overview including Q&As, training, and resources.
Tips: See our recently updated Model Policy, Wildfire Smoke Program, for guidance on complying with safety rules in California, Oregon, and Washington. Contact your Vigilant safety professional if you have any questions about how to protect workers from wildfire smoke. Also, keep in mind that wildfire smoke and hot weather go hand in hand. See our Legal Guide, Heat Illness Prevention in the Workplace, for state-specific rules.
