Cal/OSHA has a regulation, section 5141.1 called “Protection From Wildfire Smoke“

Employers have to protect workers from smoke when:

• The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the workplace is 151 or greater.
• The employer reasonably anticipates that workers could be exposed to wildfire smoke.

**You can find AQI on your phone’s weather app**

How is wildfire smoke dangerous?

Smoke has small amounts of harmful material in it, called “particulate matter” (PM). The most dangerous are called PM 2.5, much smaller than a human hair. The higher AQI is, the more PM 2.5 is in the air.

Breathing in anything but clean air is bad for the body, and inhaling PM 2.5 can cause reduced lung function, bronchitis, chronic asthma, and even heart failure!

What does an employer have to do if section 5141.1 applies?

Employers have to find where the exposure is happening, communicate about the hazard, train/instruct workers on fighting it, and reduce exposure to workers.

How can you protect yourself?

• Check the air quality before going to work, especially during wildfire season
• File a complaint with Cal/OSHA
• ORGANIZE your workplace to ensure you have protections in your contract. Force your boss to have air purifiers, respirators, and good quality A/C on hand. Direct action gets things done fast!

For more information, employer requirements, and safety tips visit the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) below.