Keep Workers Safe from Wildfire Smoke on Jobsites

With wildfires raging across Ontario, Canada and smoke impacting huge areas of the Northeast and upper Midwest in the U.S., it is important to know the effects wildfire smoke can have across the country, even if you are not in an area that is at risk for wildfires.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to wildfire smoke – even from great distances – can irritate eyes and respiratory systems, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases, including COPD and asthma.

Wildfire smoke can have an immediate impact on a worker’s health, such as coughing, trouble breathing normally, a scratchy throat, headaches, and more.

Employers and workers should prepare for and plan to implement procedures to reduce exposures to smoke when necessary, which include:

• Frequently monitoring air quality conditions in the area. The Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website provides air quality information at the local and state levels.
• Relocating or rescheduling work tasks to smoke-free or less smoky areas or times of the day,
• Reducing levels of physical activity when possible, especially strenuous and heavy work,
• Requiring and encouraging workers to take frequent breaks in places that are free from smoke, and
• Limiting the worker’s smoke exposure by making accommodations for that worker to perform his/her duties indoors or in a location that reduces exposure to smoke, if possible.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has provided additional resources on its wildfire page, including:

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) website with resources focused on wildfire smoke: Outdoor Workers Exposed to Wildfire Smoke | NIOSH | CDC.
• Worker Safety During Fire Cleanup. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) resources on wildfires: Wildfires (nih.gov)

Visit the OSHA website and NAHB’s webpages on wildfires and emergency preparedness for more information.