Editor's Note: This story was updated September 22, 2022.
Hot and humid summer days are right around the corner, and OSHA is cracking down on heat-related illnesses and injuries.
On April 12, the Department of Labor announced a new heat illness prevention campaign and enforcement program to protect workers, while continuing its long-term work to establish a federal heat standard.
As part of the program, OSHA will proactively initiate inspections in over 70 high-risk industries, including construction, when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. On days when the heat index is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, OSHA inspectors and compliance specialists will visit workplaces to address heat hazards. As of July 20, the agency has conducted 564 workplace inspections for heat-related illness, according to the White House.
The safety campaign and forthcoming standard are top priorities for the Biden-Harris administration due to the disproportionate amount of minority, elderly and migrant workers affected by extreme heat and rising temperatures resulting from climate change.
According to findings from OSHA’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published last fall, construction had 13 times the risk of heat-related deaths than the average annual heat-related workplace fatality rate in all other industries, as well as the highest number of workers hospitalized for heat-related issues.
