OSHA is moving forward its efforts to develop a standard to address the dangers of workplace heat for workers in outdoor and indoor settings. In April, the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health unanimously recommended the agency "move forward expeditiously" on a notice of proposed rulemaking.
In the interim, OSHA will continue outreach to educate employers and workers and enforcement to hold businesses accountable using the OSH Act's general duty clause and other applicable regulations.
“Workers at risk of heat illness need a new rule to protect workers from heat hazards. OSHA is working aggressively to develop a new regulation that keeps workers safe from the dangers of heat,” says Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health. “As we move through the required regulatory process for creating these protections, OSHA will use its existing tools to hold employers responsible when they fail to protect workers from known hazards such as heat."
According to OSHA, compliance officers will continue to conduct heat-related inspections under the agency's national emphasis program. Since launching the directive in 2022, OSHA has conducted nearly 5,000 heat-related inspections. In addition, the agency is prioritizing programmed inspections in agricultural industries that employ temporary, nonimmigrant H-2A workers for seasonal labor. These workers face unique vulnerabilities, including potential language barriers, limited control of their living and working conditions, and possible lack of acclimatization.
ASSP Publishes First-Ever Voluntary Consensus Standard on Heat Stress
In February 2024, ASSP published ANSI/ASSP A10.50-2024, Heat Stress Management in Construction and Demolition Operations, first national voluntary consensus standard addressing heat stress for workers in construction and demolition operations. Hundreds of thousands of workers frequently face outdoor hazards such as high heat and humidity. While the scope of the standard focuses on construction and demolitions, the guidance can be adapted to protect workers performing other outdoor jobs such as tree trimming, farming, road maintenance and pipeline painting.
The standard offers guidance on protecting workers; explains how to acclimate workers to high heat conditions; and provides requirements for training employees and supervisors. It contains checklists and flowcharts designed to help companies develop clear and effective heat stress management programs that bridge the regulatory gap.
Learn more about preventing heat stress in our podcast episode with Tom Bobick, David May and Cheryl Ambrose.