With the warmer summer months fast approaching, now’s the perfect time for ACD members to ensure you’re taking the necessary precautions to protect your employees from heat exposure in the workplace.
In extreme weather conditions, it’s easy to quickly get dehydrated, dizzy, or distracted – all of which potentially pose a danger to yourself or others – and could have long-term effects on health and wellbeing.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), thousands become seriously ill while working in hot or humid conditions each year and dozens die.
Earlier this month, OSHA stressed just how important it is to be aware of the dangers of extreme heat exposure in the workplace and said it was progressing on plans to publish a proposed rule on reducing the health risks for U.S. workers.
"Workers at risk of heat illness need a new rule to protect workers from heat hazards. OSHA is working aggressively to develop a new regulation that keeps workers safe from the dangers of heat," said Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health.
"As we move through the required regulatory process for creating these protections, OSHA will use all of its existing tools to hold employers responsible when they fail to protect workers from known hazards such as heat, including our authority to stop employers from exposing workers to conditions which pose an imminent danger," he added.
OSHA said its committee has now approved the draft rule’s initial regulatory framework to help address these concerns – although it didn’t outline a specific timeline for when its proposals would be published.
In the meantime, OSHA is ensuring heat-related precautions are taken by employers, enforcing this through a National Emphasis Program and the General Duty Clause.
While we recognize ACD members do all they can to safeguard their employees and carefully monitor the temperatures in their facilities, you should be aware that OSHA is now starting to take this more seriously and making it a key part of its inspections.
The need for more oversight regarding extreme heat and protecting employees is extremely important. Still, while ACD fully supports OSHA making sure employers are carrying out due diligence and keeping everyone safe in their warehouses and chemical facilities, there are always concerns over any new regulations that may be onerous and heap an additional burden on business.
The agency has really increased its focus on protecting employees from high heat levels in the workplace since the introduction of its National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards in April 2022. It has since carried out almost 5,000 federal heat-related inspections.
There are several scenarios that could trigger a visit: a heat index above 80°F; an observed hazardous heat condition; or a National Weather Service Heat Advisory affecting a specific location. Failure to take adequate precautions means businesses can face significant fines.
Conscientious employers should make sure they have appropriate procedures in place to protect their teams and be ready should the inspector call.
Make sure your teams take regular rest breaks, encourage them to stay hydrated, help them slowly acclimatize to warm weather or areas where temperatures are high, and have thorough and carefully thought-out plans in place to make sure workers are always protected from extreme heat.
There are plenty of resources available offering guidance and suggestions. We published a regulatory report on OSHA’s National Emphasis Program and OSHA also offers information through its Heat Exposure and Heat Illness Prevention Campaign pages online.
ACD will be monitoring the situation closely and keeping members updated with any news and progress. When the proposed rule is finally released, we'll be asking you for feedback we can submit to OSHA.
If you have any questions or want to find out more about the upcoming regulation, email Nick Breslin, Manager, Regulatory Affairs at nbreslin@acd-chem.com.
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