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Heat Hazards and Enforcement
In April, six months after OSHA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on heat injury and illness prevention, the agency put into effect a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on heat-related hazards. Both the ANPRM and the NEP emphasize that official data likely undercount occupational heat injuries and illnesses. Information from the ANPRM and NEP appear below. A related article about the NEP can be found in NewsWatch.
From OSHA’s press release announcing its National Emphasis Program:
“As part of the program, OSHA will proactively initiate inspections in over 70 high-risk industries in indoor and outdoor work settings when the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning or advisory for a local area. On days when the heat index is 80 F or higher, OSHA inspectors and compliance assistance specialists will engage in proactive outreach and technical assistance to help stakeholders keep workers safe
on the job.”
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SOURCES
Federal Register: “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings” (October 2021).
OSHA: “National Emphasis Program—Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards” (PDF, April 2022).
OSHA: “Secretary Walsh Joins Vice President Kamala Harris to Announce First Ever National Emphasis Program to Protect Workers from Indoor and Outdoor Heat Hazards” (April 2022).