RICHMOND, B.C. – As wildfires continue to rage throughout British Columbia this summer, the province’s occupational health and safety authority has issued recommendations for employers on how to protect workers from exposure to smoke from the fires. A July 26 news release from WorkSafeBC suggested that employers should reduce the amount of time that workers spend outdoors, while minimizing physical activity for outdoor workers and having them use N95 half-face respirators. For indoor workplaces, employers should inspect their air-conditioning systems and make sure the filters are clean and working properly; they should also reduce the intake of outdoor air and use portable air cleaners with high-efficiency particulate air filters or electrostatic precipitators, said WorkSafeBC. The release also included links to the organization’s web pages on heat stress, fighting wildfires and emergency-response planning. About 4,260 square kilometres have burned in the province since April, according to media reports.