Heat Injury and Illness Prevention - Colorado

Colorado does not have an OSHA state plan and therefore follows federal OSHA. However, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has a separate rule for heat injury and illness prevention for agricultural workers (7 CCR 1103-15). The rule applies whenever the temperature at an agriculture worksite is or is forecast to be 80 degrees or higher, and workers are exposed more than 15 minutes out of any hour in those conditions. Employers must provide workers with access to cool, potable water, along with enough time to drink it, and ready access to shade for rest and cool-down breaks.

Employers whose workers are exposed to high-heat conditions must maintain effective communication with and monitoring of employees and must respond appropriately to signs and reports of worker heat injury and illness. Workers must be trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat injury and illness and the basic first aid and emergency response required.

Additional requirements apply when workers are exposed to “increased risk conditions,” such as extremely high heat (95 degrees Fahrenheit and above), unhealthy air quality, long days (over 12 hours in a shift), and more.

Heat stress

Related information

• Temperature extremes | J. J. Keller® Compliance Network (jjkellercompliancenetwork.com)
• National Emphasis Program - Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards (osha.gov)

Citations

• Colorado 7 CCR 1103-15
• Federal regulation 29 USC 654