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University of Washington

UW Facilities Partner Resources

Wildfire smoke

Subject

Wildfire Smoke (Rev 08/22)

Purpose

To prevent smoke injuries for UW Facilities employees exposed to wildfire smoke during the months of May through September.

Practice

This plan is required when employees are "exposed" to wildfire smoke at certain thresholds. This primarily covers employees working outdoors and that may be reasonably expected to be exposed to wildfire smoke.  EH&S defines exposed as:

  • Being outdoors when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is within the range of 69 to 300 for a total of more than one hour during a 24-hour period
  • Being outdoors when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 301 or more for a total of more than 15 minutes during a 24-hour period

Action Levels

At AQI 69, employers must assure employees are trained and encouraged to implement controls. Employees exposed to wildfire smoke shall take Wildfire Smoke training annually. In this training, employees will learn health effects of wildfire smoke, their rights to obtain medical treatment without fear of reprisal, how to obtain current PM2.5, and requirements of WAC 296-62-085 Wildfire Smoke.

At AQI 101, employers must implement protective measures, if feasible. Each supervisor is responsible to determine what protective measures are feasible for their staff. The protective measures are listed on the shop’s Wildfire Smoke Response Plan (docx). 

At PM2.5 levels of 555 ug/m3, employees must be registered in Respiratory Protection Program (note this cannot be done in the moment, it must be done in anticipation of employees having to work outside at PM2.5 levels of 555 ug/m3)

Reference

Resources

Responsibility : Action

RoleResponsibility
Employee
  • Follow and promote safe work practices.
  • Participate in occupational health assessment programs.
  • Inform the supervisor of:
    • Worsening air quality
    • Availability issues of appropriate exposure control measures and respiratory protection required by this standard
    • Any adverse symptoms that may be the result of wildfire smoke exposure such as, but not limited to, asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.
  • Contact supervisor with questions about the safety of work or whether precautions are necessary.
  • Watch out for themselves and others because wildfire smoke can become a life-threatening condition.
Supervisor
  • Assure that safe working conditions exist and require their employees to be aware of, and adhere to, safe work practices.
  • Must notify exposed employees when AQI reaches 69, 101, and when levels (not AQI) reach 555ug/m3 respectively.
  • Encourage employees to report worsening air quality; availability of appropriate exposure control measures and respiratory protection required by this standard; and any adverse symptoms that may be the result of wildfire smoke exposure such as, but not limited to, asthma attacks, difficulty breathing, and chest pain.
  • Complete a Wildfire smoke response plan (docx) if they have staff working outdoors and/or that may be reasonably expected to be exposed to wildfire smoke.