California heat illness requirements
Plain-English outdoor, indoor, and wildfire smoke thresholds employers search for under Cal/OSHA T8 3395, 3396, and 5141.1.
California runs three separate heat and smoke standards, and which one applies depends on whether the site is outdoor or indoor. Outdoor work follows T8 3395 on plain air temperature, indoor work follows T8 3396 on temperature and heat index, and wildfire smoke follows T8 5141.1 on AQI for PM2.5 everywhere. A site is never covered by both 3395 and 3396 at once, so getting the site kind right is the single decision that drives every duty below.
Takeaways
- Name the one heat standard that applies to each of your sites, and why.
- Read the temperature or heat index on a log and say what is owed at that number.
- Know that California writes its smoke rule in AQI, not PM2.5 concentration.
- Recognize which industries pick up the 95 F high-heat procedures.
Three standards, and the one that applies to your site
Outdoor heat under T8 3395
Indoor heat under T8 3396
Wildfire smoke under T8 5141.1
The 14-day watch on new and returning workers
Frequently asked questions
- Does a truck cab count as indoor or outdoor? A vehicle cab is generally treated as an indoor place of employment because it has overhead covering and barriers on most sides. If a driver works both in the cab and outside it, both 3395 and 3396 can apply during the same shift.
- Do I need shade if the crew never asks for it? Yes, above 80 F. The shade has to be present and open regardless of whether anyone requests it. Below 80 F, shade must be provided promptly on request.
- Can I record PM2.5 instead of AQI for a California site? You can record both, and a PM2.5 concentration can be converted to AQI using EPA breakpoints. But the California threshold is written in AQI, so AQI is the number the log should carry for a California site.
- Does 3395 apply to a landscaping crew at 90 F? Water and shade apply, and the heat-wave watch applies. High-heat procedures do not, because those start at 95 F.