Sacramento—A Landmark Enforcement Action
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has imposed $276,425 in penalties on Parkwood Landscape Maintenance in Van Nuys, California, for deliberate violations of heat illness prevention regulations. This action marks the first citation for a serious willful heat violation, underscoring the state’s commitment to worker safety amid rising temperatures.
Cal/OSHA Investigation Reveals Violations
On June 6, 2024, Cal/OSHA’s Van Nuys District Office began investigating following a complaint about outdoor employees working without proper heat protections. Inspectors discovered that Parkwood Landscape Maintenance blatantly ignored critical safety measures, including:
- Failing to provide access to water and shaded areas.
- Requiring employees to purchase their own drinking water.
- Neglecting to deliver heat illness prevention training.
- Omitting written procedures for managing high-temperature conditions, frequently exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
These violations placed workers at significant risk of heat-related illnesses, directly breaching California’s heat illness prevention standard.
Prior Noncompliance and Repeat Offenses
This recent citation follows a 2022 violation under Title 8 Section 3395(i), where the company failed to meet heat safety standards. Despite receiving model heat illness prevention procedures, Parkwood Landscape Maintenance continued to disregard its legal obligations, further endangering employees.
Statement from Cal/OSHA Chief
Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee emphasized the severity of these infractions, stating:
“Employers have a responsibility to protect their workers from the dangers of extreme heat. It is unacceptable for any business to blatantly ignore safety protocols, putting their employees at serious risk. This enforcement action underscores our commitment to holding employers accountable and ensuring safe workplaces across California.”
California’s Heat Illness Prevention Standard
The heat illness prevention standard requires employers to implement specific safety measures to protect workers in industries such as agriculture, landscaping, and construction. Key elements of the standard include:
- Ensuring access to cool drinking water.
- Providing shaded rest areas.
- Delivering heat illness prevention training.
- Establishing written procedures for high-temperature conditions.
Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) program also offers multilingual outreach, enforcement, and training to increase awareness among employers and workers. Additional resources, including training materials and compliance tools, are available on Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention webpage and 99calor.org.
Resources for Employers and Workers
Cal/OSHA provides consultation services to assist employers with workplace health and safety programs. Businesses with questions about compliance can contact the Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424 or email InfoCons@dir.ca.gov.
Workers seeking advice on heat illness prevention can reach a Cal/OSHA representative at 833-579-0927, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Confidential complaints about workplace hazards can also be filed with Cal/OSHA district offices.
HIP Network—Collaborating for Safer Workplaces
To promote proactive measures against heat-related illnesses, Cal/OSHA established the Heat Illness Prevention (HIP) Network. This voluntary partnership enhances awareness and encourages best practices among employers and workers. Interested parties can join by emailing HIPNetwork@dir.ca.gov.
For more information, visit the California Department of Industrial Relations.
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