The Valley Fevers Institute’s health and safety presentation to Valley Water Management Company’s workforce was informative and very enjoyable. Not only did Mr. Rob Purdie outline the state’s recognition of the disease and subsequent required training obligations of industry, but Mr. Purdie presented Valley Fever exposure and applicable safety measures in a clear, concise manner, and provided valuable, up to date information regarding the similarities of Valley Fever to that of Covid-19.
1111 Columbus Street, Bakersfield, California 93305
8am - 5pm M-F
(661) 326-2800
Onsite or Virtual Training Available
Contact Rob Purdie for more information:
[email protected]
(661) 321-7436
Important Clips
Dr. Johnson and Dale Creighton on the importance of Valley Fever Training.
Royce H. Johnson, MD FACP Talks about how Valley Fever affects people.
Health & Safety Training
June 17, 2021 Update
The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board adopted revised COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS). Our training program included education to address the disease prevention portions of the original ETS. Our program continues to support those portions of the revised ETS as well as providing the information on vaccinations that were added to the standard.
The Valley Fever Institute is uniquely equipped to offer Valley Fever education and training to not only comply with California Labor Code § 6709, but to ensure your company implements and maintains industry leading best practices.
Our team, currently led by internationally recognized infectious disease expert, Royce H. Johnson, MD, has developed a robust curriculum and materials, derived from our unmatched clinical expertise and scientific research.
The Valley Fever Training is available for construction employees in Kern County and the surrounding areas, at no cost.
- Meets California’s Valley Fever Training Requirement
- Onsite or Virtual Training Available
- Includes COVID-19 Training
- Training provided under grant number SH-99067-SH0 from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U. S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U. S. Government.
Not in construction?
Ask about education for other industries including:
- Oil & Gas
- Public Utilities
- Renewable Energy
- Agriculture
Demonstrate your commitment to employee health and safety as well as our community with training from the Valley Fever Institute. Once your employees have completed the initial training, we can assist you in maintaining compliance as new directives and requirements emerge.
If you would like more information or to schedule a training, please contact Rob Purdie at 661.489.5244 or [email protected].
California’s Training Mandate
A new California law, AB 203 of 2019, added § 6709 to the California Labor Code and requires construction employers who work in counties with high rates of Valley Fever to train their employees on minimizing the risk of Valley Fever annually.
Prior to AB 203, Cal/OSHA issued citations for failing to prevent Valley Fever exposure in employees, and has done so even when no disease was found. While some of the citations have been successfully appealed, Cal/OSHA considers Valley Fever an occupational disease.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has stated Valley Fever is a Work-Related Illness and indicated employers in areas where Valley Fever has been reported should do the following:
- Include Valley fever as a hazard in your Injury and Illness Prevention Program
- Plan projects to minimize dirt disturbance, and use water to keep dust down
- Train workers on ways to prevent exposure to dust and about the symptoms of Valley Fever
- Provide enclosed cabs with filtered air for heavy machinery work
- Provide and ensure the correct use of respirators
- Refer workers with symptoms to physicians familiar with Valley Fever
- Report illness on Cal/OSHA 5020 form and 300 logs