Changes

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has put into place an emergency regulation which affects those who work outdoors, to protect against hazards associated with wildfire smoke exposure.

This regulation is applicable to workplaces where the Air Quality Index (AQI) for particulate matter 2.5 microns in size or smaller (PM2.5) reaches a value of

151 or greater, and in regions where the employers can reasonably expect that their employees could be exposed to wildfire smoke. While a value of 150 indicates the need for action, it does not necessarily reflect a threshold for “unsafe” air. Individuals with lung disease, older adults, and children may experience symptoms at AQIs closer to 100.

This new regulation states that employers must follow a set of guidelines to protect their workers exposed to wildfire smoke. These guidelines include:

• Identify harmful exposure to wildfire smoke before each shift, and
  periodically throughout the shift by checking the AQI.
• Reduce harmful exposure to wildfire smoke by, for example, relocating outdoor work indoors where the AQI is not in excess of
  150.
• If moving to an area where AQI below 150 is not feasible, employers must provide:
  • N95 masks to employees to wear voluntarily.
  • Training on this new regulation

Why

These emergency regulations began to form at the end of 2018, just after the Camp fire. During the Camp fire, much of Northern California experienced AQI values well in excess of the 150 value.

What Has Been Done On Campus?

In the time since the Camp fire, Sacramento State Environmental Health and Safety has installed multiple air quality monitoring devices around campus, with data visible to the public. These monitors provide a real-time look at the AQI, Particulate readings for varying sizes of particles in the air, averages, humidity, among other parameters. This will allow the campus community to view the air quality in their general space, in real time, at all times.

Data can be viewed at www.purpleair.com, and clicking on the “Map” icon. This will pull up all of the air monitors from across the globe, allowing the user to look at not only the Sacramento Area, but also areas surrounding their personal homes, or the homes of family and friends.

N95 Masks

In the event that the AQI levels elevate, the campus does have available N95 respirators for employees to use available in Risk Management Services, 2nd floor River Front Center or Environmental Health and Safety. For the mask to provide protection against wildfire smoke users must follow the guidance provided at this Cal/OSHA link.

Screenshot of PurpleAir Air Monitoring website, with each of the colored dots indicating an active PurpleAir monitoring site.a new section.

Contact

For more information regarding Wildfire Smoke Exposure on Campus, please contact the Office of Environmental Health and Safety! (916) 278-2020