Heat illness prevention
California Heat Illness Prevention: What Field Employers Commonly Miss
A written plan matters. Daily water, shade or cool-down, observation, training and emergency practices matter more.
Written and reviewed by Roberto CoraFounder, Cora HR Advisory · Updated September 7, 2026
California has outdoor and indoor heat illness standards. A business may be covered by both when it has indoor and outdoor work areas.
Outdoor work
Outdoor requirements apply to outdoor workplaces. Construction and landscaping are among the industries subject to additional high-heat procedures at specified conditions.
Indoor work
The indoor standard generally applies to covered indoor work areas where the temperature reaches 82°F, including some warehouses and manufacturing settings.
Frequent implementation gaps
Review site-specific access to water, shade or cool-down areas, acclimatization, emergency response, temperature monitoring where required, supervisor training and bilingual communication.
- Official source: Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Guidance
- Official source: Title 8 sections 3395 and 3396