OLYMPIA, Wash. – New statewide heat protections for outdoor workers went into effect this week.

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries updated their rules to prevent heat-related illnesses and to keep up with the hotter temperatures we have seen in recent years.

The new rules lower the temperature at which shade has to be provided to 80 degrees.

And employers must now provide mandatory cool-down periods of 10 minutes every two hours when the temperature reaches 90 degrees and 15 minutes every hour at 100 degrees.

Employers also have to update their outdoor heat exposure safety programs and train workers accordingly.