Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standards Proposed by US OSHA

The US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.

Heat safety is a priority highlighted in the SWANA Strategic Plan. Many jobs in the waste and resource recovery industry require long hours working in hot conditions, making these regulations important for SWANA members, as they will apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction. The OSHA website states that the goal of the proposed standard is “to prevent and reduce the number of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused by exposure to hazardous heat.”

The regulations will require employers to provide water and rest breaks and to allow workers time to acclimate to the heat. In addition, employers will be required to establish a work site heat injury and illness prevention plan with site-specific information, to provide initial and annual training on heat, and to maintain monitoring data, among other requirements. 

The proposed rule would establish two heat index thresholds that would trigger different requirements. The thresholds, which will factor in humidity, begin at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 

State and local government agency employees are not covered by Federal OSHA, but do receive OSHA protections in states that have an OSHA-approved State Plan (currently 29 states), some of which also cover private sector workers. 

An official version of the standards will be published in the Federal Register soon and available for comment. SWANA plans to submit comments and welcomes member feedback. 

The text can be found at the following links: 

• Regulatory Text,  
• Background,  
• Health Effects,  
• Risk Assessment,  
• Explanation of Proposed Requirements,  
• Preliminary Economic Analysis,  
• Technological Feasibility,  
• Additional Requirements and  
• References of the Preamble. 

SWANA is seeking input from members, especially SWANA Legislative Liaisons and Safety Ambassadors. If you would like to help inform SWANA comments on this issue, please contact Kristyn Oldendorf, Director of Public Policy, at koldendorf@swana.org. 

Additional information and resources from OSHA can be found at: