Summer can bring high and extreme heat, unhealthy or hazardous air quality due to wildfire smoke, and other inclement weather or conditions. Without appropriate mitigation measures, these can threaten employees’ health and safety. All supervisors and employees are encouraged to review the following policies and plans designed to support a safe working environment at OSU.

Heat Illness Prevention

OSU operates under a Heat Illness Prevention Plan that is informed by the Oregon OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard. The plan acknowledges that a workplace hazard exists when the heat index equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The standard exempts workspaces in buildings and structures with mechanical ventilation systems that keep the heat index below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as employees who perform either “rest” or “light” workloads, such as office work or driving, when the heat index is less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Supervisors are responsible for monitoring the heat index at locations where their employees are working. When the heat index equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit, supervisors must provide employees with access to shade and cool drinking water. Additionally, when the heat index temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit the following is to occur:

• Employees are provided a means at the worksite to contact supervisors in case of heat illness;
• Employees are monitored for signs of heat illness by a supervisor or by using the buddy system;
• Employees take heat illness prevention rest breaks.

The plan provides details on weather and heat monitoring, high-heat practices, safety training, workplace and operation exemptions, and various reference resources. If you have questions about the plan, contact OSU’s Environmental Health and Safety office at [email protected].

Wildfire Smoke/Air Quality

OSU’s Wildfire Smoke/Air Quality policies and practices are informed by Oregon OSHA Wildfire Smoke Rules. The rules apply to OSU employees when ambient air concentration for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke is at or above 35.5 ug/m3 (Air Quality Index [AQI] value of 101 for PM2.5).

The following employees are exempt from the OSHA Wildfire Smoke rules:

• Employees working in enclosed buildings, structures and vehicles in which air is filtered by a mechanical ventilation system, and when exterior openings are kept closed, except when it is necessary to briefly open doors to enter or exit a building;
• Employees whose supervisors have suspended operations to prevent employee exposure to wildfire smoke levels at or above AQI 101;
• Employees working at home;
• Employees with intermittent exposure to wildfire smoke are partially exempt. This includes those working in activities with less than 15 minutes exposure in an hour to wildfire smoke levels at AQI 101, for a total exposure of less than one hour in a single 24-hour period.

Key guidance from the OSHA rules includes:

• Supervisors will monitor air quality on OSU campuses utilizing the EH&S Wildfire Smoke/Air Quality webpage;
• Supervisors will provide NIOSH-approved filtering facepiece respirators for voluntary use when the AQI is at or above 101 and mandatory use when the AQI is at or above 251;
• Engineering and/or administrative controls will be used to reduce employee exposure when AQI is at or above 101;
• Annual training is required for employees exposed to wildfire smoke levels at or above AQI 101. Oregon OSHA Wildfire Smoke Training can be found under the Occupational Health and Safety section of the Training/Course Directory menu in EH&S SciShield.

There may be circumstances when the president or her designee will decide to delay the opening of the university or to close the university’s physical operations while maintaining essential residential and research functions. For information and resources, see the University Human Resources Closures or Curtailment of Operations page.

While this communication conveys information regarding the university’s programs and practices related to high and extreme heat and unhealthy and hazardous levels of wildfire smoke, I encourage all students, faculty, and staff to carefully consider their personal safety and local conditions when making decisions about their ability to work during hazardous conditions.

Sincerely,

Heather Horn

Vice Provost for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer