County agricultural commissioners are distributing a limited supply of N95 respirators to ag businesses to protect workers from wildfire smoke, according to the Western Agricultural Processors Association.
CDFA helped commissioners procure the masks last month to use for pesticide applications.
Cal/OSHA has stood behind its new regulation requiring employers to supply N95s when wildfire smoke is present, despite a worldwide mask shortage due to the pandemic. The regulation has now gone into effect as the air quality index registers readings above 150.
