['Air Programs']
['Air Quality']
01/18/2024
...
No, federal OSHA does not have a comprehensive regulation for wildfire smoke. In the absence of a Wildfire Smoke Standard, employers still have a legal obligation under the General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act) to protect their workers from exposure to unhealthy levels of smoke emissions. Also note that employers with workplaces in an OSHA state-plan state should check their state laws and regulations for wildfire smoke protections, if any. States may be more stringent than federal OSHA.
Federal OSHA explains that the most significant hazard from wildfire smoke is exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5), tiny particles of partially burned material less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, that can enter the lungs and even the bloodstream. The agency says wildfire smoke is linked to serious health problems, including lung, heart, and kidney disease. Workers may also experience eye and respiratory tract irritation, the agency adds.
While not required, OSHA encourages employers to prepare for and plan to implement procedures to reduce exposures to wildfire smoke when necessary. OSHA-suggested protective measures include:
- Frequent monitoring of air-quality conditions using a source such as EPA's AirNow. EPA explains that harmful amounts of PM2.5 occur when the Air Quality Index reaches 151 or higher.
- Relocating or rescheduling work tasks to smoke-free areas.
- Reducing levels of physical activity, especially strenuous and heavy work.
- Requiring and encouraging workers to take breaks in smoke-free places when possible.
- Making accommodations, when possible, for employees to work inside with proper HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems and high-efficiency air filters.
- Providing or allowing NIOSH-approved respirators for voluntary use, when not otherwise required. (When allowing respirators for voluntary use, employers must provide employees with the advisory information in Appendix D of OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard at 29 CFR 1910.134.)
- Ensuring that worker training, if any, is provided in a language that workers can understand.
Federal OSHA also has a topic page on wildfires, with safety tips and resources to help employers and workers reduce exposure to wildfire smoke.
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