By Sara Beth Williams–
The air conditioning inside a Burger King franchise location in Citrus Heights has reportedly been broken for weeks, with patrons alleging temperatures rising to “dangerous” levels inside.
According to assistant manager Adriana Del Valle, air conditioning in the dining area and kitchen area has not been operational for the past three to four weeks at the restaurant located near the intersection of Antelope Road and Sunrise Boulevard. The problem was reported by the store manager to the franchise owner, Del Valle confirmed.
Comments made on social media alleged that the temperature inside the dining area of Burger King in Citrus Heights was “dangerous” and “unacceptable.” Further, one person shared photos of temperatures on the dining room thermostat reading 93 degrees fahrenheit in the early afternoon.
Del Valle said management was told HVAC technicians have been too busy with other restaurants. Del Valle added that it has never taken this long for repairs that directly impact the dining room area to be completed.
“It is hard for the employees,” Del Valle said.
Public Information Manager Ken Casparis with the Sacramento County Department of Health said in a phone call on Wednesday that restaurant health inspectors oversee restaurant safety and health guidelines inside kitchen areas but not dining areas.
A city spokesperson from Citrus Heights told The Sentinel that Code Enforcement recommends contacting the Sacramento Department of Health for heat-related concerns for restaurants. A call to Code Enforcement directly was not returned before press time.
A California workplace safety board recently approved a long-delayed rule requiring employers to reduce the risks of extreme heat for indoor workers, according to the California State Department of Industrial Regulations. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved a “Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment” standard on June 20, which went into effect on July 23.
According to a Cal Matters article, the new regulation applies to all employers except state prisons and local jails, and was designed to protect warehouse workers, restaurant kitchen employees, manufacturing plants, and any other indoor workplaces that are not fully air-conditioned.
Under the rule, when temperatures reach 82 degrees, “employers will be required to provide cooling areas and monitor workers for signs of heat illness.” When it is 87 degrees inside, or for workers near a heat source or who wear restrictive clothing on the job, businesses are required to:
- Attempt to cool the worksite to 82 degrees or lower, if feasible.
- Adjust work schedules, allow more breaks, slow the rate of production, or rotate workers through assignments.
- As a last resort, provide protective equipment, such as personal fans or cooling vests.
The franchise owner of the Burger King location at 7760 Sunrise Blvd. declined to comment to The Sentinel on Friday regarding the progress of HVAC repairs.
