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OSHA releases proposed rule for heat safety

by Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released the unofficial version of its Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings proposed rule. The official rule and information for submitting comments is expected to be published in the Federal Register soon.

According to a July 2 OSHA press release, “OSHA is issuing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings. This is a significant step toward a federal heat standard to protect workers. The proposed standard would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction.”

The proposed standard would require employers to:

• Develop and implement a work site heat injury and illness prevention plan (HIIPP) with site-specific information to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplace;

• Identify heat hazards in both outdoor and indoor work sites;

• For outdoor work sites, employers would be required to monitor heat conditions by tracking local heat index forecasts or measuring heat index or wet bulb globe temperature;

• For indoor work sites, 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 (i.e., a heat index of 80°F or a wet bulb globe temperature equal to the NIOSH Recommended Action Limit) that include providing employees with:

-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 (i.e., heat index of 90°F or wet bulb globe temperature equal to the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit) that include providing employees:

-Mandatory rest breaks of 15 minutes at least every two hours (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°F.

The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association  plans to provide future updates as this story develops, including information on submitting comments in response to the published rule. GFVGA members can also access a full suite of heat safety tools here.

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