SALEM — As temperatures rise and the risk of heat illness in the workplace increases, Oregon OSHA reminds employers to follow requirements designed to help protect workers from the hazards of extreme heat. The division offers free resources to help employers comply with the requirements. Oregon OSHA maintains a heat illness prevention rule under which employers must provide adequate water, rest, shade, training, acclimatization – which involves gradually adapting the body to work in the heat – and additional protective measures. “Employers need to take the potential dangers of heat illness seriously, which means exercising vigilance and focusing on prevention,” said Renée Stapleton, administrator for Oregon OSHA. “We have many free resources to help them comply with our specific requirements, including practical guidance and helpful online trainings they can use now.” Oregon OSHA’s heat illness prevention requirements apply across industries and where employers provide housing, including on farms. Under the Oregon Safe Employment Act, workers have a right to a safe and healthy workplace, the right to raise concerns free of retaliation, and employers must maintain safe and healthy workplaces. The division urges employers to refresh their knowledge of the general workplace requirements and employer-provided housing requirements in these fact sheets: Key requirements for general workplaces – English/Spanish. Key requirements for employer-provided housing – English/Spanish. All heat illness prevention resources are available on Oregon OSHA’s A-to-Z topic index page. They include a video training in English and Spanish that satisfies certain training elements of the heat rule. Oregon OSHA also offers: Consultation services – provides free and confidential help with safety and health programs, including how to control and eliminate hazards, and hands-on training. The services involve no fault, no citations, and no penalties. Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689; Field offices, Online Email: consult.web@dcbs.oregon.gov Technical staff – helps employers understand requirements and how to apply them to their worksites; Phone (toll-free in Oregon): 800-922-2689, Online Email: tech.web@dcbs.oregon.gov The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, which includes Oregon OSHA, maintains the Multicultural Communications Program that provides outreach to communities with limited English proficiency. That outreach encompasses information about on-the-job safety and health. The Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers provides help with understanding workplace safety and health rights, and workers’ compensation rights.
