(1) Employers of employees exposed to temperatures at or above those listed in Table 1 of this section must:
(a) Address their outdoor heat exposure safety program in their written accident prevention program (APP), in a language that employees understand;
(b) Ensure the outdoor heat exposure safety program contains, at a minimum, the following elements:
(i) Procedures for providing sufficiently cool drinking water;
(ii) Procedures for providing shade or other sufficient means to reduce body temperature, including the location of such means and how employees can access them;
(iii) Emergency response procedures for employees demonstrating signs or symptoms of heat-related illness;
(iv) Acclimatization methods and procedures;
(v) High heat procedures; and
(vi) The specific method used by the employer to closely observe employees for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness as required under WAC
296-307-09745 and
296-307-09747(2);
(c) Ensure a copy of the outdoor heat exposure safety program is made available to employees and their authorized representatives;
(d) Encourage employees to frequently consume water or other acceptable beverages to ensure hydration; and
(e) Encourage and allow employees to take a preventative cool-down rest period when they feel the need to do so to protect themselves from overheating using sufficient means to reduce body temperature such as shade or other equally or more effective means. The preventative cool-down rest period must be paid unless taken during a meal period that is not otherwise required to be compensated. If an employee is showing signs or symptoms of heat-related illness during the cool-down rest period, the employer must comply with the requirements under WAC
296-307-09750.
Table 1. To determine which temperature applies to each worksite, select the temperature associated with the general type of clothing or personal protective equipment (PPE) each employee is required to wear.
Nonbreathable clothes including vapor barrier clothing or PPE such as chemical resistant suits | 52°F |
All other clothing | 80°F |
Note: | There is no requirement to maintain temperature records. The temperatures in Table 1 were developed based on Washington state data and are not applicable to other states. |
(2) Employees are responsible for monitoring their own personal factors for heat-related illness including consumption of water or other acceptable beverages to ensure hydration, and taking preventative cool-down rest periods when they feel the need to do so to prevent from overheating.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050,
49.17.060, and chapter
49.17 RCW. WSR 23-14-042, § 296-307-09730, filed 6/27/23, effective 7/17/23. Statutory Authority: RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050, and
49.17.060. WSR 09-07-098, § 296-307-09730, filed 3/18/09, effective 5/1/09.]