Cal/OSHA Issues Late-Season Heat Advisory for Southern California
As temperatures climb into the 90s across Southern California, Cal/OSHA is reminding employers to protect outdoor and indoor workers from heat illness through water, shade, rest breaks, and training.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Oct 28, 2025
Cal/OSHA is warning employers to take immediate steps to prevent heat illness as a late-season warmup pushes temperatures across Southern California into the upper 80s and mid-90s this week. The advisory is among the latest the agency has issued, underscoring how fall heat events are lasting longer amid increasingly volatile weather patterns.
“ We cannot allow lives to be lost in the rebuild,” Labor Commissioner Luke Farley said in a separate statement on storm recovery, adding that employers must remain vigilant as heat risks extend further into the fall. Cal/OSHA emphasized that heat illness is a serious, potentially deadly hazard and reminded employers that state heat standards apply to both indoor and outdoor workplaces.
Under California’s outdoor heat rule, employers must provide fresh water, access to shade when temperatures hit 80°F, and cool-down rest breaks upon request. When temperatures reach 95°F in certain industries—including agriculture, construction, landscaping, oil and gas extraction, and transportation of heavy materials—additional “high-heat” procedures are required, such as regular observation of employees and effective communication systems.
The state’s indoor heat regulation applies to most workplaces—such as restaurants, warehouses and manufacturing facilities—once temperatures reach 82°F. Employers must provide water, rest, cool-down areas and training, and maintain a written heat illness prevention plan. Supervisors should be trained to recognize signs and symptoms of heat illness and respond to emergencies.
Cal/OSHA urged employers to review training materials, join the Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) Network and use available tools to prepare for elevated temperatures. Grants, multilingual outreach and additional compliance resources are available through the agency’s heat illness prevention program.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.