LBNL Guidance / Response Actions by AQI Level 

Sensitive Workers: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities. Strictly follow health care provider guidance for preventing symptoms. Contact your personal health care provider if experiencing symptoms or if symptoms worsen.

All Staff: Be aware of increasing AQI levels and be prepared to implement administrative controls per website guidance. N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes.

Facilities: An AQI approaching 100, along with other predictive parameters, will trigger protocol direction from EHS to Facilities to reduce the amount of outside air entering building air handling systems (i.e., going into Wildfire Smoke Mode).

Sensitive Workers: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities. Be mindful of symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath. Strictly follow health care provider guidance for preventing symptoms. Contact your personal health care provider if experiencing symptoms or if symptoms worsen. Consider alternative work mode options with your supervisor’s approval.

All Staff: Initiate administrative controls per website guidance. N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes. AQI levels at which point the Lab community will likely see periodic Level 1 email communications from Operations.

Facilities: Continue implementation of engineering controls (i.e., ventilation in Wildfire Smoke Mode).

Sensitive Workers: Reduce all outdoor activities to a minimum. Consult with your personal physician, as needed, to identify any additional protective measures or work restrictions.

All Staff: Reduce prolonged outdoor activities involving heavy exertion. Consider alternative work mode options with your supervisor’s approval. Continue implementation of administrative controls per website guidance. N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes. AQI levels at which point the Lab community will likely see periodic Level 1 email communications from Operations.

Outdoor Workers: Cal/OSHA’s Protection From Wildfire Smoke Regulation applies to outdoor workers when AQI level is 151 or greater for one or more hours during a work shift. When outdoor workers are exposed to an AQI equal to or greater than 151, but not exceeding 400 (US EPA conversion), N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes.

Facilities: Continue implementation of engineering controls (i.e., ventilation in Wildfire Smoke Mode).

Sensitive Workers: Avoid all outdoor activities.

All Staff: Consider alternative work mode options with your supervisor’s approval. Reduce physical outdoor activity to a minimum. Continue implementation of administrative controls per website guidance. N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes. AQI levels at which point the Lab community will likely see periodic Level 1 email communications from Operations.

Outdoor Workers: Cal/OSHA’s Protection From Wildfire Smoke Regulation applies to outdoor workers when AQI level is 151 or greater for one or more hours during a work shift. When outdoor workers are exposed to an AQI equal to or greater than 151, but not exceeding 400 (US EPA conversion), N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes.

Facilities: Continue implementation of engineering controls (i.e., ventilation in Wildfire Smoke Mode).

Sensitive Workers and All Others: Avoid outdoor activities. Continue implementation of administrative controls per website guidance. N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes up to an AQI level of 400.

Outdoor Workers: Cal/OSHA’s Protection From Wildfire Smoke Regulation applies to outdoor workers when AQI level is 151 or greater for one or more hours during a work shift. When outdoor workers are exposed to an AQI equal to or greater than 151, but not exceeding 400 (US EPA conversion), N95 respirators may be requested from EHS for comfort purposes. When LBNL outdoor workers are exposed to an AQI of greater than 400 (US EPA conversion), half mask, elastomeric respirator use is required and are obtained through EHS.

Facilities: Continue implementation of engineering controls (i.e., ventilation in Wildfire Smoke Mode).

Laboratory Community: AQI levels at which point the Lab community will likely see periodic Level 1 email communications from Operations. Due to hazardous levels, specific direction from Laboratory senior leadership will be provided regarding status of Lab operations.