Farmworker Protection: Mandatory Safety Standards for Smoke and Excessive Heat.
This Act establishes mandatory occupational safety standards to protect farmworkers from the dangers of wildfire smoke and excessive heat. Employers must provide appropriate protective equipment, including N95/N100 respirators, water, and cooling facilities, when conditions become hazardous. The law also mandates rest breaks in shaded areas and comprehensive training to mitigate health risks associated with extreme weather conditions.
Key points
Mandatory provision of N95/N100 respirators when air quality due to wildfire smoke reaches a dangerous level.
Requirement for employers to provide water, cooling facilities, and mandatory rest breaks when heat levels become dangerous.
Employers must offer training and educational materials in a language understood by farmworkers on proper equipment use and recognizing signs of heat or smoke-related illness.
Introduction of mandatory 10-minute rest breaks every 2 hours in shaded areas when air quality or heat levels are extremely dangerous.
Introduced
Citizen Poll