Proposed heat illness prevention rule reaches OMB for review

OSHA’s proposed heat illness prevention rule reached the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review on June 11. Review typically takes 60 to 90 days, at which time the rule will be published in the Federal Register and stakeholders will have an opportunity to comment on it.

While OSHA currently relies on the General Duty Clause to protect workers from heat hazards, a heat illness prevention standard would offer greater protections for workers in essential jobs exposed to high heat levels, such as agriculture and construction, as well as those in indoor environments. Potential rule elements include:

• Application of the standard when the temperature reaches a certain level;
• Procedures that allow new or returning workers time to acclimatize to working in high temperatures;
• Mandatory rest breaks, with increased frequency as temperatures rise;
• Worker training; and
• A written heat illness and prevention program.

Heat is the leading cause of weather-related death, and OSHA’s proposed heat rule offers protections for outdoor and indoor workers from the effects of working in high levels of heat.