In the aftermath of the recent major outbreak of wildfires in California, workers will be involved in a variety of response and recovery operations. Some operations, such as utility restoration, cleaning up spills of hazardous materials, and search and rescue, should only be conducted by workers who have the proper training, equipment and experience.

Wildfires may create a variety of hazards for workers involved in cleanup operations as well as for workers in affected communities. The following resources address common hazards associated with wildfires and highlight useful precautions for workers:

Additional resources for employers and workers involved in wildfire cleanup include:

It is vitally important for employers to remember that they are responsible for the safety and health of their workers, and are required to protect workers from the anticipated hazards associated with wildfire response and recovery operations.

Visit OSHA’s Wildfires webpage for additional resources on wildfire response and recovery.