Understanding Heat Illness Prevention Laws

Chris Boman’s article “Understanding Heat Illness Prevention Laws” was featured in the September Issue of Landscape and Irrigation.

The article focused on a new California law that requires most employers whose employees work outdoors to implement a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan that references cool down periods. Effective January 1, 2014, California employers are now required to pay a premium of an hour’s pay for failing to provide or denying non-exempt employees what has become official known as a “recovery period.”

Chris explains the legal requirements of a recovery period, who’s eligible, and the ramifications of failing to provide a recovery period.

Moving forward, he cautions companies to determine if they have outdoor workers. If they do, management should inform these employees in writing (with a written acknowledgement placed in each employee’s personnel file) of their right to take a recovery period. Furthermore, Chris suggests that employees be directed to a contact a specific member of management if they are not permitted to take a needed break.