US OSHA initiates National Emphasis Program to protect workers from heat hazards

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced its first national emphasis and enforcement program (NEP) to protect workers from heat-related illness and injuries. OSHA will conduct proactive workplace inspections before workers suffer preventable injuries, illnesses or fatalities. Read a fact sheet on OSHA’s National Emphasis Program.

It is reported that heat illness annually affects thousands of indoor and outdoor workers. OSHA claims the three-year average of workplace deaths caused by heat has doubled since the early 1990s. This new program is expected to immediately improve enforcement and compliance efforts, while OSHA pursues a heat illness prevention rule. 

Pursuant to the NEP, OSHA will initiate focused inspections in dozens of high-risk industries, in indoor and outdoor settings, whenever the National Weather Service issues a heat warning for that area. On days when the heat index is 80 F or higher, OSHA will provide technical assistance to assist unions and employers keep workers safe on the job. Inspectors will address heat hazards during inspections, regardless of whether the industry is targeted in the NEP.

OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program, a free and confidential health and safety consulting program for small- and medium-sized businesses, will assist employers in developing strategic approaches for addressing heat-related illnesses and injuries.

As addressed in an earlier Client Alert, OSHA will conduct a public stakeholder meeting on May 3, 2022, to discuss its actions to protect workers from heat-related hazards, including the Heat Illness Prevention Campaign, compliance assistance activities and enforcement efforts. One can register for this event here.