California issues safety guidance on wildfire cleanup and recovery

Los Angeles — In the wake of wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres in California this year, the state’s Department of Industrial Relations has released a training tool for employers and workers involved in recovery operations.

Available in English and Spanish, the Wildfire Clean-up Training Tool offers safety tips, including:

• Check with your hazmat crew because fire debris might contain silica, asbestos, lead and household hazardous waste.
• Wear personal protective equipment, such as N95 masks, gloves, steel-toed boots, earplugs/muffs around loud noise, and a hard hat near construction equipment or overhead hazards.
• Wear long-sleeved cotton shirts and pants (or disposable coveralls) to keep dust and ash off your skin.
• Stay alert to the dangers of heat stress by drinking at least 1 quart of water per hour in hot weather, taking breaks and seeking out shade.
• Wash your face and hands thoroughly before eating or drinking, and knock off dust from your clothes and shoes before entering a vehicle to avoid taking hazards home. Shower and change clothes as soon as you get home.

In addition, the agency’s Cleanup and Rebuilding after Wildfires webpage features guidance on workplace safety and health, labor laws, workers’ compensation for work-related injuries and illnesses, and tree work safety.

An FAQ page provides information on staying safe during cleanup, safety rules when hired by a private contractor or property owner, and filing a complaint about unsafe work practices.

As of Feb. 13, the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported that nearly 58,000 acres had been burned by wildfires this year, damaging more than 16,000 structures and causing 29 deaths.