Heat Illness Prevention Plan
Water, shade, cool-down, acclimatization, and high-heat procedures above 95°F.
What this document is
This document is a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan required under California regulations. It provides specific procedures to protect outdoor workers from heat-related illness through access to water, shade, rest, and training.
The regulation that requires it
T8 CCR §3395 requires every employer with outdoor workers to have a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan. The regulation states in §3395(c) that the plan must include procedures for providing water, shade, cool-down rests, acclimatization, high-heat procedures when temperatures exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and employee training. It also mandates that the plan be available at the worksite and that supervisors and employees receive training on its contents.
Who needs it
California employers with employees working outdoors in construction, landscaping, agriculture, and other trades must maintain this plan. General contractors, subcontractors, and any business sending crews into the field in California are covered. While the citation is specific to Cal/OSHA under Title 8 CCR, similar heat illness protections are expanding in other states.
What happens without it
Cal/OSHA frequently cites employers during heat-related inspections for missing or incomplete plans. Violations are typically classified as Serious with penalty ranges from several thousand dollars up to the current maximum per the OSHA penalty schedule. Willful or repeat violations can reach significantly higher amounts. Multi-employer worksites increase the risk of citations to both general contractors and subcontractors.
What's included in the generated document
- Purpose and scope of the Heat Illness Prevention Plan
- Procedures for providing water and shade
- High-heat procedures for temperatures above 95°F
- Acclimatization and cool-down rest requirements
- Employee and supervisor training elements
How to implement it at your company
- Talk to Guy first. Describe your operation, trade, and location — Guy draws from 300,000+ verified OSHA and state regulatory citations to build a compliance plan specific to your company. Your answers shape every section of the document you receive. Takes about 10 minutes.
- Download the completed PDF and review all sections for accuracy.
- Add your company name, site-specific contact information, and any unique procedures.
- Train all outdoor workers and supervisors on the plan contents.
- Keep copies at each worksite and make them available to employees.
- Update the plan annually or when conditions change and retrain staff.
View state-specific requirements
How this document changes by state — citations, enforcing agency, and any overrides beyond the federal baseline.