California Wildfire Smoke Danger Adds to N95 Mask Shortages

Smoke from California wildfires and the unavailability of N95 masks for outdoor workers could potentially put employers in violation of the state’s rule protecting employees from smoke hazards.

The rule, enacted in July 2019, requires employers to offer N95 or similar masks to outdoor workers when air quality conditions become “unhealthy” as defined by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. As of Thursday, much of central California had unhealthy air.

Robert Moutrie, the California Chamber of Commerce’s workplace policy advocate, said the shortage of masks has created “a huge problem” for employers who must decide whether to shut down outside ...