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Take Action Now: Protect Workers from Hazardous Heat Exposure

worker removes a yellow hardhat to wipe brow in a hot warehouse

Background

OSHA has proposed a new workplace standard, Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, to protect an estimated 36 million workers from the dangers of workplace heat stress.

Workers across the country have raised the alarm about heat-related illnesses, and in 5 states they already have varying levels of protection. This standard would make workplaces in the rest of the country safer, increase the wellbeing of workers, and improve workers’ ability to do their jobs in hot conditions. The rule has many strong elements that mirror proven protections and incorporate scientific evidence for the prevention of heat illness, but some holes remain.

The proposed rule:

  • Is based on scientific evidence about the importance of access to water at no cost to the worker, access to shade or air conditioning to lower body temperatures, and the need for periodic rest from work in the heat as commonsense protections from heat-related illnesses.
  • Requires employers to have written heat hazard plans and to provide training to supervisors and to workers in a language they understand on recognizing the signs of heat illness and the need for immediate action when a worker shows symptoms.
  • Covers outdoor and indoor workers and uses best practices developed by several state rules to trigger heat protections at 80 degrees and high heat protections at 90 degrees. However, OSHA’s rule allows for breaks “as needed” at the lower temperature and only mandates paid rest breaks at the higher temperature. It is concerning that the current draft depends so heavily on voluntary actions by employers and the “encouragement” of workers to protect themselves.
  • Calls for worker input for employers’ heat hazard plans but is silent about workers’ role in mapping high-heat work areas or identifying tasks that increase heat stress dangers. OSHA should be clear that worker participation is essential in every phase of making workplaces safe from heat.
  • Recognizes and requires the gradual easing of workers into tasks that expose them to high heat using a process of acclimatization but is silent on the responsibility of host employers to ensure that temporary workers or those onsite through staffing agencies have received this deliberate process of getting the body used to heat.

Submit your comment directly to the Federal Register website here. Once posted, you can view your comment here.

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