Landrum Human Resources Companies Inc.
09/23/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2024 11:01
OSHA’s Proposed National Heat Safety Rule
Why OSHA Proposed a New National Heat Safety Rule
According to the Center for Disease Control , in 2023, 119,605 people visited the Emergency Room for a heat-related illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") recently proposed a new rule to protect employees who work in conditions above 80°F. The only guidance OSHA currently gives is the General Duty Clause, which states employers must provide a workspace free from hazards that may cause injury or death. The rise of heat-related injuries and deaths in previous years has led OSHA to propose specific parameters around employees working in extreme heat.
What's In the National Heat Safety Rule?
OSHA's proposed rule lists several new safety factors for companies whose employees work in temperatures above 80°F. Each requirement has been created to help keep workplaces safe for workers in extreme heat and to reduce the number of heat-related injuries. Below is a list of some of the new proposed requirements for the National Heat Safety Rule:- Heat Safety Coordinator-Employers must assign a designated safety coordinator to identify heat hazards indoors and outdoors.
- Heat Risk Assessments-This will require identifying high-risk roles, areas, and tasks that are regularly subject to heat-related injury.
- Workplace Temperatures-Implement a system to constantly monitor high temperatures and humidity levels.
- Hydration-Employers must ensure employees always have access to drinking water and are encouraged to take frequent hydration breaks.
- Rest Breaks- Employees will need a shaded or cool area to rest and recover from high temperatures. The frequency of the breaks must rise in correlation with the rising temperature.
- Shade and Cooling Areas-Employees need access to shaded and air-conditioned areas that are reasonably close to the worksite.
- Heat Safety Training-Employers are responsible for ensuring employees are properly trained in heat safety. OSHA provides several resources for heat safety training.
- Acclimatization Programs-Plans are required to acclimatize new and returning employees to heat conditions, including gradually increasing workloads and exposure time to build up tolerance to the heat.
- Heat Illness Prevention Plan-Employers with more than 10 employees must have a written Heat Illness Prevention Plan readily available to all employees. This plan must be site-specific and reevaluated annually or after a heat-related illness or injury has occurred.
- Emergency Medical Response-Supervisors and employees must be trained to handle a heat-related emergency.
- Indoor Monitoring Data: Employers are required to maintain indoor monitoring data for at least 6 months.
- Incident Reporting Processes-Employers must have detailed records of any heat-related injuries or illnesses to improve heat safety processes.
- Regular Audits-Employers must conduct regular audits to ensure they are in compliance with safety standards and can help identify areas of improvement.
- Enhanced Protections-For employees who work in an area with an enhanced heat risk, employers may need to implement additional safety standards to ensure their protection.
- Vulnerable Workers-For some positions that may not be used to working in the heat, additional safety measures and training will need to be provided.