Wildfire Smoke

Wildfire smoke collects in the Southern Willamette Valley due to a combination of factors. When wildfires occur, the university monitors local air quality to assess the impact on operations and implements controls protective of employee health. In May 2022, Oregon OSHA adopted rule OAR 437-002-1081 to protect employees against occupational exposure to wildfire smoke. The rule outlines a series of requirements to reduce the likelihood of employees having a wildfire smoke related illness or injury. 

Supervisors and employees have responsibilities to meet under the Wildfire Smoke regulation. Consult the chart below to see what requirements you must meet based on your typical working conditions. Non-employees, including students, families, and visitors to campus, please see below for Guidance for UO Hosted Outdoor Events and Activities.

PROTECTION FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE 

Working Conditions

Requirements

Employees exposed to wildfire smoke where the air quality index (AQI) is at or above 101. 

No exemption from any portion of the regulations. Training is required.

Intermittent smoke exposure defined as less than 15 minutes per hour and less than one hour total for a single 24-hour period.

Partially exempt from regulations. Training is required to understand signs and symptoms of smoke exposure and voluntary use of N95 respirators.

Employees involved in emergency operations in protection of life, property, law enforcement, and restoration of essential services such as utilities, and communications.

Partially exempt from regulations. Training is required to understand signs and symptoms of smoke exposure and voluntary use of N95 respirators. 

Employees working in enclosed buildings and structures in which the air is filtered by mechanical ventilation system.

Exempt from regulations. Training is optional.

Keep windows and doors closed (except to enter/exit). 

Employees working in vehicles where the air is filtered by a mechanical ventilation system - except for Duck Rides and Access Shuttle drivers who are NOT exempt and must take training. 

Exempt from regulations. Training is optional.

Employees working at home. 

Exempt from regulations. Training is optional.

Non-employees, including students, families, and visitors to campus

See below for Guidance for UO Hosted Outdoor Events and Activities.

If you have questions about this regulation or would like to request an in-person training on Wildfire Smoke Safety, please contact Environmental Health and Safety at ehsinfo@uoregon.edu.

Contacts

Resources and Information

WILDFIRE SMOKE EXPOSURE CONTROL PLAN

WILDFIRE SMOKE EXPOSURE SAFETY SHEET

WILDFIRE SMOKE EXPOSURE SAFETY SHEET - SPANISH

WILDFIRE SMOKE EXPOSURE - ONLINE TRAINING

Guidance for UO Hosted Outdoor Events and Activities

The following is a summary of the guidance for UO hosted outdoor events and activities during times of diminished air quality due to wildfire smoke.

AQI LEVELS

UO ACTION

AQI >100  

Recommend that outdoor youth programs be suspended or moved indoors.

AQI >200

Recommend that departments and units suspend or move outdoor events and activities indoors.*

AQI>250

UO hosted outdoor activities and events shall be suspended or moved indoors. If suspension or relocation is not possible, physically strenuous outdoor activity shall either be limited to 15 minutes per hour and 1 hour per day, or shall provide participants a N95 respirator and recommend its use.

*Taking the following into account: - Events and activities that involve prolonged or heavy exertion are higher risk. The following populations are at higher risk during these periods: people with heart and lung disease, children, pregnant women and older adults. If the event or activity continues, consider the impact for these groups.

Flexibility during Wildfire Smoke Events

When the AQI exceeds 150, members of the campus community are expected to use their best judgment in assessing the risk of smoke exposure related to coming and going to campus and participation in outdoor activities on campus, based on individual circumstances. When the AQI in Eugene reaches this level, a message will be posted to the Alerts Page.

Employees and supervisors should review air quality guidance and work together to discuss and address individual concerns.

Instruction Guidance:

Instructors are not to penalize a student for being absent from an in-person class when AQI PM2.5 is over 150 as measured on AirNow for zip code 97403. Absences on these days should not count in the course attendance policy. Note that, per the current Course Attendance and Engagement policy, instructors are not to ask students to cite their reason for missing class (i.e., they need not require a student to cite they missed class for air quality reasons or health impact of air quality as a reason).

An instructor may opt to move their class meeting to synchronous online (e.g., to Zoom) for the day(s) when AQI PM2.5 is 150 or greater or is forecasted to be 150 or greater. When making a change to remote, please notify your department head, then provide students with as much notice as possible using Canvas. Absences from synchronous online class sessions can count in the course attendance policy as they normally would. The Teaching Engagement Program and UO Online team provide Zoom assistance, as well as instructions and answers on the UO teaching site.

Official Sources of AQI Data

While there are a variety of sources available for AQI data, decisions reflected in this guidance shall be based on AirNow. This ensures that monitoring sites operated and validated by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, not low-cost sensors owned and maintained by individuals, guide critical business decisions.

AirNow has a free downloadable application so that individuals can track air quality individually.