When Donald Trump won the most recent election, some suggested that the business mogul turned politician would seek to gut or completely eliminate the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA). But that isn’t what he did during his first term in office, and Trump has a lot more blue-collar voters in this second term than his first run. At the same time, Trump is no friend of overregulation either.
National civil rights law firm, GoldbergSegalla, predicted earlier this year that the second Trump term would likely follow some of the same approaches as the first administration, such as slowing down new rulemaking and emphasizing compliance programs over punitive enforcement. The Trump administration has already made significant staffing cuts for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which conducts worker safety research behind OSHA policies and emphasis programs.
The National Law Review carried an article by Pierce Johnson of the law firm, Pierce Atwood that detailed some likely Trump administration approaches. He wrote, “Make no mistake, OSHA inspectors at the state and federal levels will continue to conduct in-person inspections of your worksite and will issue citations. While the total number of OSHA inspectors was reduced during his first administration, the overall number of inspections was on par with the Biden administration.”
Pallet companies still need to be monitoring for workplace safety concerns and ready if an OSHA inspector walks through the door. Recordkeeping and proper training are as important as ever.
Johnson also suggested that the Trump administration will likely propose few if any new rules and will likely use the General Duty Clause more for citations. This could also push more states to act or enforce state-specific standards.
What we have seen shake out with OSHA’s heat hazard rulemaking is likely the game plan for the Trump administration moving forward when it comes to OSHA. Let’s look at the specifics around the extreme workplace heat exposure.
OSHA recently extended its National Emphasis Program (NEP) on outdoor and indoor workplace heat hazards. This extension goes through April 8, 2026. In the interim, a number of states have implemented their own heat hazard rules including California, Nevada, Oregon, Minnesota and Washington state.
The federal heat safety rule is currently in its review phase, and an informal public hearing process has begun. It isn’t clear yet if the Trump administration will move ahead with implementing the full rule. But the Trump administration will likely address the heat hazard issue in some way even if the rule is tabled. The federal rule had guidelines that some in the business community claim were confusing and burdensome. At the heat of the debate is the rule’s one-size-fits-all approach to evaluating temperature triggers that require specific responses by employers. Some business groups complain that 80 degrees in one climate may be very different from another.
OSHA will likely continue to at least emphasize heat hazards because the agency found that on average 34 people die each year due to occupational heat exposure. Plus, President Trump won’t want to completely oppose worker protections while attempting to appeal to some unions and labor groups.
So, what should a pallet company do about extreme heat? You want to provide a good working environment for workers. Now is a good time for any employer where workers face heat hazards to review their current workplace practices and to develop a comprehensive heat illness prevention plan. Key areas to address include: providing cool drinking water and shaded rest areas, implementing a plan to acclimate new or returning workers gradually, conduct regular training on the issue, ensure that workers can identify symptoms of heat illness, monitor temperature, and develop a schedule for rest breaks during high heat periods.
The proposed federal rule has two tiers of heat-related triggers that lead to different levels of care. The first level occurs at 80 degrees, and the second at 90 degrees. Be sure to check your state and local authorities for any local guidelines.
At the very least, good employers recognize the need to care for workers and provide for their well-being. The key mantra to remember is “Water, Shade, Rest!” For more information visit, https://www.osha.gov/heat.
Beyond the heat standard, OSHA continues its mission and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere under Trump. But that doesn’t mean the agency will be flush with money or focusing on a lot of new standards either. Look for a repeat of the first Trump administration with even more focus on cooperation and outreach efforts and special emphasis programs. Trump seems to like to use more carrots than sticks when it comes to workplace safety initiatives.
