OSHA aims to require relief from the heat

(Illustration: Sigit Mulyo Utomo / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images)

Dangerously high temperatures have been the norm, not the exception, across the United States this summer. The Department of Labor is taking action to ensure workers are safe from heat-related illnesses, regardless of whether they work indoors or outdoors.

On July 2, the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a rule designed to protect millions of workers nationwide. If enacted, “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings” would require employers to develop a plan for evaluating and controlling heat hazards in their workplaces.

“Workers at risk of heat illness need a new rule to protect [them] from heat hazards,” said Doug Parker, OSHA’s assistant secretary of labor, in a statement regarding the proposed rule. “OSHA is working aggressively to develop a new regulation that keeps workers safe from the dangers of heat.”

Pest management professionals (PMPs) must be especially cautious when temperatures climb. Employers are required by law to protect their employees from the dangers of heat exposure and therefore already should have a safety plan in place.

Proposed standard details

OSHA’s proposed standard would more clearly define the actions employers should take to protect employees from hazardous heat. It would apply to all employers that offer outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction. Some employees, such as teleworkers, would be exempt.

The proposed standard would require employers to:

• Develop and implement a worksite heat injury and illness prevention plan (HIIPP) with site-specific information to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplaces.
• Identify heat hazards in both outdoor and indoor worksites.
• Outdoor worksites: Employers would be required to monitor heat conditions by tracking local heat index forecasts or measuring heat index or wet bulb globe temperature.
• Indoor worksites: Employers would be required to identify work areas with the potential for hazardous heat exposure, develop and implement a monitoring plan, and seek employee input.

Implement control measures at or above the Initial Heat Trigger, a heat index of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or a wet bulb globe temperature equal to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Action Limit.

That includes providing employees:

• Cool drinking water.
• Break areas with cooling measures.
• Indoor work area controls.
• Acclimatization protocols for new and returning unacclimatized employees.
• Paid rest breaks if needed to prevent overheating.
• Regular and effective two-way communication.

Implement additional control measures at or above the High Heat Trigger, a heat index of 90 degrees Fahrenheit or wet bulb globe temperature equal to the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit.

That includes providing employees:

• Mandatory rest breaks of 15 minutes at least every two hours. (An unpaid meal break may count as a rest break)
• Observation for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.
• A hazard alert to remind employees of key parts of the HIIPP.
• Warning signs at indoor work areas with ambient temperatures that regularly exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take steps if an employee is experiencing signs and symptoms of a heat-related illness or a heat emergency and develop a heat emergency response plan. Provide initial and annual refresher training for supervisors, heat safety coordinators, and employees, as well as supplemental training after changes in exposure to heat hazards, policies and procedures, or the occurrence of a heat injury or illness. Have and maintain, for a minimum of six months, written or electronic records of indoor monitoring data, and ensure that all requirements are at no cost to employees.

Take action

After the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register, the public will have 120 days to submit comments or recommendations. OSHA will then publish its final rule. In the meantime, PMPs should evaluate their current safety plans and consider incorporating any of the actions outlined in the proposed standard not already in place.

To learn more about a pest control owner’s perspective and tips on helping technicians in hot weather, visit here.

<p>The post OSHA aims to require relief from the heat first appeared on Pest Management Professional.</p>

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/08/04/osha-aims-to-require-relief-from-the-heat/
Sacramento CA