Keeping outdoor workers safe as temperatures rise in Central Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Those that work outdoors can be more at risk for heat-related illnesses.

Water, shade, breaks -- that's the advice from Cal/OSHA to prevent heat illness for outdoor workers.

"We try to start the day as soon as possible, well early first thing in the morning probably 5:30 to be out of here by 3 or even before that," said Daniel Fuentes.

This is Fuentes' third summer working in the Central Valley's heat.

He looks out for those around him, providing water and Gatorade to prevent heat-related illnesses.

"Depending on how we feel the heat, we'll take a couple breaks extra longer than usual and one more extra break added to the schedule to be nice and safe," Fuentes explained.

To ensure the safety of outdoor workers, Cal/OSHA has started to patrol outdoor workspaces and can issue citations to employers who do not provide basic protections like water and shade.

"It's somewhat hard being out here in the heat, but it's not to the point where we're working ourselves more than we should," said Fuentes.

According to Cal/OSHA, there were two confirmed heat-related deaths among outdoor workers last year, neither of which were local.

If an employer needs help improving their safety or heat-illness prevention programs, Cal/OSHA offers free consultation services.

"We have a resources page and any employer can go on there and they can let us know what are the resources they want, and we'll mail them the resources totally free of charge within a couple of days," said David Hornung with Cal/OSHA.

Cal/OSHA wants employers to reach out for help before getting a citation and will work with employers to fix violations right away.

So far this year, Cal/OSHA has not issued any citations but will be doing so in the coming months if warranted.

For news and weather updates, follow Tiffany Olin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.