Fires continue to rage in Southern California this December, continuing a long and brutal wildfire season for the state. Low rainfall and high winds have caused the Thomas fire (which spans 150 square miles as of this post) to spread through Venture and Los Angeles counties.
Once the flames die out, there will be weeks or months of cleanup and repair needed. Workers involved in the clean up will face a variety of hazards as they help affected communities. OSHA has updated it’s site with resources on common hazards associated with wildfires and highlight useful precautions for workers:
- electrical hazards – QuickCard [1]™ | Spanish [2], Fact Sheet [3] | Spanish [4]
- carbon monoxide poisoning – QuickCard [5]™ | Spanish [6]
- lifting injuries – QuickCard [7]™
- heavy equipment – Activity Sheet [8]
- extreme heat – QuickCard [9]™ | [More… [10]], Fact Sheet [11] | Spanish [12]
- unstable structures – Structural Collapse Alert (NIOSH) [13]
- hazardous materials response – Fact Sheet
- fire – Fact Sheet [14]
- confined spaces – QuickCard [15]™ | Spanish [16]
- worker fatigue – Extended/Unusual Work Shifts Safety and Health Guide [17]
- respiratory protection – QuickCard [18]™ | Spanish [19]
- rodents, snakes and insects – QuickCard [20]™ | Spanish [21]
- downed electrical wires – Fact Sheet [22]
- working outdoors – Fact Sheet [23]
- slips, trips, and falls – Texas Office of Risk Management webpage [24]