Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement today after the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) failed to approve amendments requested by the Governor's Administration to California's first-in-the-nation heat illness prevention standards:

"With today's vote the board has failed in their mission to ensure the health and safety of California's outdoor workers. While I am disappointed, the men and women who work under the sun can rest assured that I will continue my work to strengthen and improve California's heat illness standards."

The Governor's Administration will continue working to have these clarifying amendments adopted through the standard rule-making process. 

Yesterday the Governor reminded employers and outdoor workers to be prepared for the hot weather and to take the necessary precautions required under the first-in-the-nation heat illness prevention standards.

Since taking office, Governor Schwarzenegger has made extensive efforts to improve the working conditions of agricultural and other outdoor workers. These new regulations would have improved upon California's first-in-the nation heat illness prevention standards, which the Governor introduced in August 2005 and were later made permanent in July 2006.