Frequently Asked Questions
Heat Index Monitoring
Q: How will departments know what the heat index is for employees who work in non-air conditioned PSU buildings?
A: The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool app should be used to determine the heat index outside of the building and assume that the heat index is the same inside the building. Supervisors should monitor the heat index during times when excess heat is forecasted, and throughout the work shift. The app features real-time heat index and hourly forecasts specific to your location, as well as occupational safety and health recommendations from OSHA and NIOSH. Supervisors should watch this short tutorial video from Oregon OSHA on how to use the heat index app.
Heat Illness Prevention Plan
Q: We have some outdoor activities in our department and need to develop a Heat Illness Prevention Plan. Can you provide us with resources and guidance to complete our department's plan?
A: EHS has created a PSU Template for Department / Project Site Heat Illness Prevention Plans. Make a copy of the template to complete in Google Docs or download the template to complete as a Microsoft Word document. The template is in an easy to follow format, and once you have a chance to read through it, email the EHS-group@pdx.edu and we can set up a zoom meeting to assist you with completion of your plan.
Q: Can contractors use the PSU Heat Illness Prevention Plan template?
A: No. This template was created specifically for PSU departments and research project sites, and is to be used in conjunction with the PSU Heat Illness Prevention Program. Contractors need to create their own company Heat Illness Prevention Plan. Oregon OSHA has resources for contractors, including a template on the Oregon OSHA Heat Stress website.
Q: When are heat illness prevention plans required?
A: Supervisors and Principal Investigators who supervise employees who may be exposed to the risk of heat illness are required to complete a site-specific Heat Illness Prevention Plan. The Heat Illness Prevention Plan includes the department and/or project site specific procedures to meet the Oregon OSHA requirements for when the heat index equals or exceeds 80°F and to provide a safe and healthy work environment. EHS has created a Template for Department / Project Site Heat Illness Prevention Plans.
Training
Q: Is this the same course that was circulated in August 2021? If so, is there a record of people who completed the course last year, so they don’t need to take it again?
A: While this training covers the same topic, Heat Illness Prevention, considerable changes have since been made by Oregon OSHA and to the PSU Heat Illness Prevention Program. All employees should take the training regardless of whether they completed the training from 2021 or not. This training is a new annual training requirement for all affected employees.
Q: Will you be letting us know which employees have not completed the course in Canvas?
A: EHS does not have the capacity to track every employee completing the training, however there is a method for employees who complete the training to print the certificate upon completion to provide to their supervisor as proof of training.
Q: Is training required for all PSU employees?
A: The Oregon OSHA rule requires that heat illness prevention training must be provided annually before employees begin work that can reasonably be anticipated to expose employees to the risk of heat illness. The rule also requires that employees who work remotely complete the training. It is the responsibility of supervisors / principal investigators to ensure affected employees know of and complete this training requirement. All employees with potential exposure to the risk of heat illness (including student employees and employees who work remotely) and supervisors / principal investigators whose employees meet these criteria are required to complete the Heat Illness Prevention training through Canvas. All employees, no matter their status, are recommended to complete the training.
Q: What constitutes potential exposure to the risk of heat illness and what work might reasonably be anticipated to expose employees to the risk of heat illness?
A: Employees who meet any of the following criteria:
- Employees performing work activities outdoors where the heat index equals or exceeds 80°F for more than 15 minutes. It does not apply to incidental heat exposure such as traveling from one building to another on campus.
- Employees performing work activities in indoor environments where the heat index equals or exceeds 80°F. This includes work in buildings that do not have mechanical ventilation systems, including UHRL buildings, some areas of CPSO, East Hall, KMC’s north side, Research Greenhouse, West Heating Plant, and Harder House.
- Oregon OSHA also requires that employees working remotely be trained.
- Supervisors of those employees who meet the above criteria must be trained.
Q: HR is being asked if the heat illness training is required for all employees or only those who work in conditions where they might be affected by those conditions? This is coming up with regard to adjuncts specifically as they would need to be paid to take the training.
A: If conditions under question responses #3 and #4 apply, and the adjunct professor is scheduled to work over the summer months where there is a reasonable likelihood that an employee may be exposed to the risk of heat illness, they must complete the training. It is important to note that if high heat conditions continue into the fall quarter, then the training would also be required in the fall.
Q: I received the “affected department” email. Will this message be sent to my affected employees by EHS?
A: Because PSU has so many different variables for what employees (and student employees) are exposed to across all schools and departments, we are asking that Director and VP level staff help push out the message to complete the heat illness prevention training.
Q: The email notice states: All employees and supervisors "should" review the Heat Illness Prevention web page and register for the training through Canvas. Can you clarify: Is this training recommended or mandatory?
A: It is recommended that supervisors and employees should complete the training. A separate email was distributed to specific departments that are required to complete the training. Those department directors and supervisors will inform employees if they are required to complete the training. In addition, employees who work remotely are also required to complete the training.
Q: I completed this training at another workplace. Do I need to take it again?
A: Many components of the Oregon OSHA standard and our PSU Heat Illness Prevention training are site-specific to PSU. PSU employees that are required to complete the training must complete the PSU-specific training regardless of if they have taken heat illness training at a different workplace.
Q: My job meets some of the exemptions listed in the training and the written program. Why am I being required to complete the training?
A: One of the training requirements for the Heat Illness Prevention program is that all employees who are working remotely must complete it. Because many employee positions have the possibility of working remotely and are slightly different, there are certain departments that have a blanket requirement to have all employees complete the training.
Q: What is the definition of remote workers for the purposes of this training? If someone is teaching a hybrid class, would that be considered remote?
A: The Oregon OSHA rule requires that employees who work from home must complete the training. PSU is applying this training requirement to employees who conduct work in a place other than PSU owned or managed property, including home office locations, within or outside of Oregon.