The water must be located as close as practicable to where employees are working and, for indoor areas, close to indoor cool-down areas required by the indoor heat illness standard. To ensure that water is fresh, pure and suitably cool, Cal/OSHA advises employers or supervisors to visually examine, smell/taste the water, and pour some on their skin.

Providing sufficient water may require placing water strategically in multiple locations, such as when workers are working in large areas. For example, in a large warehouse, water should be placed in safely accessible locations throughout the building in all areas where workers are working. In the outdoor context, on a multi-level construction site, for example, water would be placed on every floor in a safe, accessible location. According to Cal/OSHA guidance, placing water only in designated shade areas or where toilet facilities are located is not sufficient.

Cal/OSHA’s guidance states that the water must be fit to drink and free from odors that would discourage workers from drinking it. Containers provided to employees must be clean and a source of potable water (e.g. a municipal water source) must be readily available. Water provided from non-approved, non-tested water sources (e.g. untested wells) is, according to the guidance, unacceptable. During hot weather, Cal/OSHA states that water must be “cooler than the ambient temperature.”

Cal/OSHA outdoor heat illness standard guidance states that during any inspection, the inspector may ask the supervisor to describe factors the employer considered when deciding where to place the water.

Containers provided to employees must be clean, and a source of potable water (e.g. a municipal water source) must be readily available.2 Water provided from non-approved, non-tested water sources (e.g. untested wells) is, according to the guidance, unacceptable.

If the work area does not contain plumbing to continuously provide suitable drinking water, you must provide a sufficient quantity of water. At the beginning of the work shift, you must provide enough for each employee to drink one quart for each hour of the shift. You can begin the shift with smaller quantities of water if you have an effective procedure for replenishing the water during the shift. Employees must be allowed to drink one quart of water or more per hour. You must encourage employees to drink water frequently.

1.8 CCR sec. 3395(c), 3396(c))