On November 7, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) reminded employers to protect workers from wildfire smoke produced by the Mountain Fire, which is impacting air quality in areas around Ventura County.

The agency referred employers to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) for the latest information on the fire’s status, road closures, and evacuation orders.

The agency called attention to wildfire smoke impacting air quality in areas around Oxnard, Camarillo, and Santa Paula.

While there’s no federal standard for workers’ wildfire smoke exposure, California has its own standard, Cal/OSHA’s Protection from Wildfire Smoke standard, which requires employers to protect workers from unhealthy air due to wildfire smoke.

Wildfire smoke contains chemicals, gases, and fine particles that can harm health. Breathing fine particles in the air (called PM2.5) can cause coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and reduced lung function and worsen asthma or other existing heart and lung conditions.

Under the California standard, employers in the state must take the following steps to protect employees when the Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM2.5 is 151 or greater:

• Inform employees of the AQI for PM2.5 and protective measures available to them.
• Provide effective employee training and instruction on information contained in the standard’s Appendix B, including the health effects of wildfire smoke, the right to obtain medical treatment without reprisal, how to obtain the current AQI for PM2.5, requirements of the standard, and how to protect themselves from the effects of wildfire smoke.
• Implement feasible modifications to the workplace to reduce exposure, which can include providing enclosed structures or vehicles for employees to work in where the air is filtered.
• Implement practical changes to work procedures or schedules to reduce wildfire smoke exposure, such as relocating a worksite or reducing the amount of time employees work outdoors or are exposed to unfiltered outdoor air.
• Provide proper respiratory protection equipment, such as disposable respirators, for voluntary use. 

Respirators labeled N95, N99, N100, R95, P95, P99, or P100 can filter out fine particles but must be labeled as approved by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Cal/OSHA deploys language interpretation app

Last month, Cal/OSHA deployed a new interpretation app, making it easier for agency employees to communicate with workers in the field.

The agency has launched a pilot program to improve agency communication with workers throughout the state using an interpretation app that can instantly translate in over 200 languages and dialects.

The app is being used by Cal/OSHA’s Enforcement Division across the state, especially in agriculture, where personnel often encounter communication barriers.

“California is home to one of the world’s most diverse workforces, which drives the world’s fifth-largest economy,” Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee said in an agency statement. “By embracing this technology, we are committed to breaking down barriers and upholding the safety and rights of every employee, regardless of language or background.”

The app provides live translations. Each person speaks into the device—a smartphone, tablet, or computer—and the app instantly translates the spoken words into the desired language.