California State Fund Hosts Heat Illness Prevention Seminars

California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund announced it has scheduled 61 additional free public “Heat Illness Prevention” seminars that will be held across the state.

In response to the record temperatures throughout the state, in partnership with Cal-OSHA Consultation Service, State Fund decided to significantly expand the number of seminars and keep them open to the general public. Public and employer interest in the seminars has been very positive, according to State Fund officials.

The schedule and details about the seminars can be found on State Fund’s website – www.scif.com. Additionally, details of the seminars will be publicized in local newspapers in their respective cities.

“After the recent heat wave, the awareness of how extremely serious heat illness can be has increased. Making additional public seminars available was a logical response,” said Acting State Fund President James C. Tudor. “As California’s largest workers’ compensation carrier, we are in a unique position to help.”

Since last year, State Fund has been conducting Heat Illness Prevention seminars across California as part of its commitment to educate its policyholders and their employees about the serious dangers of heat illness. In June of this year, Cal OSHA became the first State Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the nation to adopt a permanent standard for Heat Illness Prevention.

In 2005, Cal-OSHA investigated 25 cases of heat-related illness in California, with more than half of those cases involving fatalities and nearly a third involving hospitalization. As of this week, an estimated 150 people have died of heat-related illness in California including at least four employees who succumbed on the job.

Topics to be covered at the seminar include:
•How to prevent heat-related illnesses;
•Learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat illness;
•Understanding environmental and personal risk factors;
•Review of current regulations pertaining to heat illness; and
•Determining how to respond to heat stress emergencies

All seminars are free of charge and attendees will receive informational materials.