Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings
Heat Injury & Illness
On August 30, 2024, OSHA released a proposed rule, titled “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.” The proposed rule, if adopted, would apply to employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industries - with some limited exceptions, such as for sedentary work. Covered employers would have to implement specific exposure control measures once the temperature of a workplace met or exceeded an “Initial Heat Trigger.” Additional exposure controls would be required if the workplace temperature met or exceeded a “High Heat Trigger.”
OSHA has not taken any action on this rulemaking since the NPRM’s publication. Written comments on the NPRM were due January 14, 2025. To date, over 16,000 comments have been submitted.
Given the change in party control for the 119th Congress, it is unlikely that the current proposed rule will go forward any time in the next four years. It will either be put to rest entirely or a much more streamlined version may replace the current proposed rule.