For the first time, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP) targeting heat-related workplace injuries and illness. The Biden administration is also working to establish a heat illness prevention rule. These efforts are part of a larger, interagency Biden-Harris administration effort to protect workers and communities from extreme heat and rising temperatures resulting from climate change.
As a key part of the program, OSHA will proactively initiate inspections in over 70 high-risk industries in indoor and outdoor work settings when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. On days when the heat index is 80 F or higher, OSHA inspectors and compliance assistance specialists will engage in proactive outreach and technical assistance to help stakeholders keep workers safe on the job. Inspectors will look for and address heat hazards during inspections, regardless of whether the industry is targeted in the NEP. Key industries covered by the heat hazard NEP include sawmills and wood preservers, warehousing and storage, and others closely aligned with pallet recycling.
The three keys to protecting workers from heat stress are WATER, REST and SHADE. According to OSHA, most outdoor fatalities, 50% to 70%, occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to build a tolerance to the heat gradually over time. The process of building tolerance is called heat acclimatization. Lack of acclimatization represents a major risk factor for fatal outcomes.
Key strategies include:
• Providing employees access to cool water, rest and shade during the workday.
• Allowing new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize or build a tolerance for working in the heat.
• Plan for emergencies and train workers on prevention and identification of heat-related illness. Document all training.
• Managers should monitor workers for signs of heat-related illness.
• Requiring and training workers to wear proper clothing that provides adequate skin protection and facilitates perspiration.
• Use engineering controls to reduce heat exposure and improve ventilation. These include: cooling fans, air conditioning, properly blocking or exhausting heat sources away from workers, insulating hot surfaces, etc.
• You can find out more about OSHA’s heat exposure resources at https://www.osha.gov/heat
If OSHA conducts a heat-related inspection, the agency will look at your OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Log and 301 Incident Reports for entries indicating heat-related illnesses. The inspector may want to interview employees who have had headaches, dizziness, fainting, dehydration, or other conditions that may indicate heat-related illnesses on the job. OSHA will likely pay particular attention to employees working in direct sunlight, a hot vehicle, or areas with hot air, near a gas engine, furnace, boiler, or steam lines, and the use of heavy or bulky clothing or equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE).
Beyond just the General Duty Clause, OSHA, may apply PPE, sanitation, first aid and recordkeeping statutes to cite heat-related issues.
For more information on the details of the program and ways to comply, visit https://tinyurl.com/ykaa4k9b.
