OSHA to host hearing on heat injury and illness prevention

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will host a virtual public hearing on its proposed rule to protect workers from hazardous heat exposure in indoor and outdoor workplaces on June 16.

A construction worker wipes his brow during a project. Heat-related deaths in the industry are on the rise. (Image: Adobe Stock)

The public hearing on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT on June 16, and continue on subsequent weekdays if necessary.

On August 30, 2024, OSHA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.

The proposed standard would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction. The standard would require employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplace. It would clarify employer obligations and the steps necessary to effectively protect employees from hazardous heat. The ultimate goal is to prevent and reduce the number of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused by exposure to hazardous heat, OSHA said.

The hearing can be viewed online without registering. Instructions for watching the hearing will be posted on OSHA’s rulemaking webpage, here.