The $276K Heat Fine That Every Sacramento Worker Should Know About
All California employers must abide by Cal/OSHA regulations to provide safe work environments for their employees. When they fail to do so, the agency threatens harsh penalties, such as the one recently issued to a landscaping company in Van Nuys. The $276,425 citation addresses intentional violations of heat safety policies and strengthens an existing heat illness program.
Here, the Sacramento work injury lawyers from Curtis Legal Group explain the details of this citation and what it could mean for you as an employee at risk of harm in California.
Why Cal/OSHA Called This Heat Violation ‘Unacceptable’
In a statement from Chief Debra Lee, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) iterated the duty employers have to protect workers from all hazards, especially those involving extreme heat. Chief Lee said:
“It is unacceptable for any business to blatantly ignore safety protocols, putting their employees at serious risk. This enforcement action underscores our commitment to holding employers accountable and ensuring safe workplaces across California.”
California’s First “Serious and Willful” Violation
The company in question, Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, willfully failed to provide its employees with appropriate training to recognize the symptoms of heat illness or access to water. Cal/OSHA initiated its investigation in June 2024 after a complaint to its Van Nuys District Office. The citation against Parkwood is the first willful heat citation in the state in over five years.
Under California’s Heat Illness Prevention program, employers must provide training, access to preventative measures, and follow other standards or risk citations.
The standards activate at 80°F for outdoor conditions and at 82°F for those working indoors.
Parkwood not only denied shade and water to its outdoor workers when temperatures reached 95°F and higher, but the company also did not train workers on preventing or treating heat-related illness.
Parkwood employees were also forced to buy their own water, in direct violation of California Code of Regulations, Title 8 (T8CCR) §3395, which states that potable drinking water must be supplied without cost by the employer.
Unfortunately, Parkwood was cited for a similar complaint in 2022, establishing a record of non-compliance with Cal/OSHA regulations. In that instance, Cal/OSHA supplied model procedures for preventing heat illness, which Parkwood failed to deploy.
The 82°F Rule That Could Save Your Life (And Your Employer Doesn’t Want You to Know)
Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Program is designed to oversee strict standards regarding worker protection during California’s extreme temperatures. First initiated in 2006 as the first of its kind in the country, the program issued updates in 2024 to include protection for indoor workers when temperatures reach 82°F. While the original focus was on the agriculture, construction, and landscaping industries, the updated guidance accounts for employees in warehouses and other enclosed job sites.
Mandated protections include providing access to water and shade, educating workers and supervisors about heat illness symptoms and prevention, and allowing employees to take rests to cool down. The program has been mostly successful, but recent budget and staffing cuts to Cal/OSHA have reduced inspections by 30% and citations by 40%, despite an increase in employee complaints.
In response to significant temperature threats, the federal Department of Labor (DOL), which encompasses OSHA, began rulemaking proceedings in 2024 to create a nationwide regulation requiring employers to provide heat protection measures. Based on the California program, the DOL effort has faced delays due to similar staffing cuts as CA, and has been met with worker protests across the country in June 2025.
Heat Exposure Puts All Workers at Substantial Risk
The human body’s metabolism naturally strives to maintain its internal temperature within a narrow range, and uncontrollable increases put several tissues and systems at risk. When the external temp is high and coupled with physical effort, plus no ability to cool off, employees risk severe illness or death.
The Cleveland Clinic lists common conditions of hyperthermia as heat stroke, dehydration, muscle cramps, and rash. As climate change advances, more areas experience “wet bulb” circumstances, a dangerous combination of temperature, humidity, the angle of the sun, cloud cover, and wind speed. California has included the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and other metrics in its heat illness prevention guidance.
These considerations are critical because workers may get sick even at lower temperatures because their sweat cannot evaporate during wet bulb conditions.
Employees who work in high radiant heat environments (such as foundries), during heat waves, or who have pre-existing medical concerns may be at even higher risk of heat illness. It is vital that companies provide cooling stations, water, and breaks to avoid harm.
The 3-Step Emergency Plan That Could Prevent Brain Damage (Or Death)
Workers who suffer heat illness should notify their coworkers and supervisor.
They should:
- get to a cool location, preferably indoors with air conditioning, and
- begin drinking water or electrolyte drinks.
- To be safe, call 911 for evaluation and potential transfer to a hospital for further treatment.
If you have an incident of extreme heat exposure and illness, visit your doctor soon after for a full exam. You could experience brain injury, kidney damage, cardiac stress, or other severe conditions that require extensive treatment. A timely diagnosis can protect your health and allow you to show a link between your employer’s negligence and your injuries.
When Heat Illness Becomes a Six-Figure Lawsuit: Your Rights Explained
Any risk to worker health is cause for concern and may require aggressive action to hold the company accountable. In addition to filing complaints with Cal/OSHA, employees may have the option to seek relief through a lawsuit when the employer’s negligence is proven to be intentional.
By working with a qualified and experienced work injury attorney, those who suffer illness can pursue compensation for their medical and other expenses. If a worker dies due to heat exposure, their surviving family members may file wrongful death actions to seek justice on behalf of their loved one.
To learn more about what you can do after suffering injury or illness on the job, contact a Sacramento work injury lawyer at Curtis Legal Group. We offer free case reviews to answer your questions and evaluate your circumstances. Contact us online and get started today.