As we previously alerted, Oregon OSHA issued temporary rules, related to employees exposed to wildfire smoke when the air quality index (AQI) is at or above 101. These new rules take effect today, on August 9, 2021 and remain in effect for 180 days. They require employers, unless exempt from the rules, to train employees and to implement exposure controls and a communication system.
OSHA released the training materials late on August 6th, which can be found here. The OSHA course covers six of the 10 requirements in the rules including:
- Symptoms of wildfire smoke exposure,
- Health effects of wildfire smoke,
- The definition of sensitive groups,
- Employee rights,
- How to access the Air Quality Index and the pm2.5
- The importance, limitations, and benefits of using a filtering face-piece respirator, and how to properly put them on.
Parts not covered in the course are related to employer-specific policies and practices which may vary from employer to employer and require customization for your organization.
As a reminder, workplaces and operations that are exempt from the rules include enclosed buildings in which the air is filtered by a mechanical ventilation system and enclosed vehicles in which the air is filtered by a cabin air filter. In both cases, doors and windows must be closed, except when it is necessary to enter or leave.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!