OSHA — the federal agency responsible for work regulations — is asking for public comment on a new proposal that could introduce the first-ever federal heat protection standards for workers.
The proposal includes regulations that would impact both indoor and outdoor workers. It comes as some local officials in Arizona introduce their own work safety standards for excessive heat.
OSHA says heat is the deadliest weather-related phenomenon in the U.S. But there are currently no federally enforceable standards to regulate heat hazards in the workplace.
The newly-posted proposal is the latest step in an effort that began in 2021 — when the agency first announced it was in the process of forming the standards.
Only five U.S. states currently have their own heat safety standards for workers. Katelyn Parady, a Phoenix staffer of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, says Arizona is not included in that list.
“Despite the fact that, of course, particularly in the Valley and in southern Arizona, workers experience some of the most extreme heat in the country,” she said. “So, it would be life-changing and life-saving, really — it would require that Arizona employers provide workers with water breaks, rest, shade, and that they monitor heat exposure for both outdoor and indoor workers. I think for most folks, these are basic, commonsense protections, but they don't currently exist for the vast majority of people who are laboring outside in Arizona or inside.”
Excessive heat complaints are currently filed under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, or General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide a safe workplace free from recognized harms.
But Parady says it’s an arduous process that requires time and a lot of evidence.
“And since 2022 I think we've only seen 12 heat-related citations issued by OSHA, which again, relative to the number of folks who we know are experiencing extreme heat hazards on the job, is just steeply inadequate,” she said.
Parody says federal standards will help enforce protection.
The new standards would outline specific obligations for employers in both indoor and outdoor industries, and require them to create a plan to evaluate and track workplace hazards. Members of the public have until the end of the year to make comments about the new rule.
