Cal/OSHA Hosts Workshop on Indoor Heat Protections and Hazards

San Bernardino— The Cal/OSHA Safety Series Workshop, held today in San Bernardino, brought together unions, community-based organizations, advocates, employees and others to learn about indoor heat illness protections, warehouse hazards and key issues.

Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch has been working closely with employers to ensure swift compliance with indoor heat requirements and regularly meets with employees to share general information on workplace safety. Enforcement and Outreach teams are working across the state, with San Bernardino being the latest community where Cal/OSHA held a safety workshop. 

California is uniquely positioned to elevate worker protections and set new benchmarks for workplace safety. With the recent passage of California's indoor heat protections, Cal/OSHA, the nation's largest state-OSHA program, is creating a blueprint for enhanced worker safety.

The event featured speakers David Wesley, Cal/OSHA Interim Deputy Chief of Enforcement; Lex E. Eaton, Cal/OSHA High Hazard Unit District Manager; Tim Shadix, Legal Director of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center; and David Hornung, Cal/OSHA Enforcement Senior Safety Engineer. Each provided valuable insights into workplace safety, focusing on enforcement strategies and legal protections to ensure worker safety and compliance with regulations.

The focus was on warehouse hazards and indoor heat illness prevention, with expert insights from Cal/OSHA, the Warehouse Workers Resource Center, and UFCW Local 1428. These organizations discussed proactive measures to tackle these critical issues, emphasizing the importance of worker safety. The event also received support from Teamsters Local 1932 and Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (SoCal COSH), and the COVID-19 Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP), reinforcing a collaborative effort to protect workers and improve safety standards across the industry.

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Employers and workers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.

There are more resources for employers and workers on Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention web page and the 99calor.org informational website, as well as a Heat Illness Prevention online tool. The advisory includes a toll-free number for workers who have questions about heat illness prevention in indoor and outdoor places of employment can speak with a bilingual Cal/OSHA representative between 9am and 7pm at 1-833-579-0927, and information on how to file confidential complaints with Cal/OSHA district offices about workplace safety and health hazards.