In a time where many industry groups are strongly fighting against new regulations of any kind, more than 130 organizations have co-signed a petition for OSHA to establish a national standard for heat protection across many industries.
Federal OSHA has sponsored heat safety campaigns such as “Water. Rest. Shade.” in recent years, and has also developed an app for heat safety, but the organization has never had formal requirements for employers to follow in regards to heat safety. Three states currently have heat safety requirements, including California, Washington, and Minnesota. All 3 of those states fall short of was NIOSH recommends, however, which includes year-round exposure monitoring, PPE, and hazard notification.
The petition, which you can read in its entirety here, recommends the following items be addressed in an OSHA standard:
Heat stress thresholds
Mandatory rest breaks
Personal protective equipment (PPE), such as water-cooled garments, air-cooled garments, or cooling vests when hazard reaches a certain level.
Shade
Hydration
Heat acclimatization plan
Exposure monitoring
Medical monitoring
Hazard notification
Heat Alert Program
Worker information and training
Among the 130 organizations that co-signed the petition are farming groups, universities and other schools, labor unions, and legal groups. You can find the full list of co-signors in the petition.
Read the full petition: Petition to OSHA for a Heat Standard | Public Citizen
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