OSHA’s Proposed Heat Protection Standard Will Require Protection Programs by Many Employers
Under OSHA’s recently proposed standard, employers will be required to develop and implement Heat Injury and Illness Protection Plans if employees are exposed to workplace temperatures exceeding a heat index of 80 degrees F for more than 15 minutes in any 60-minute period.
An employer’s HIIPP would need to include provisions for monitoring heat exposures, procedures to acclimate employees to heat exposure, sufficient supplies of drinking water, availability of rest breaks, and, for indoor workplaces, air-conditioned or otherwise cooled work areas and break areas.
Additional provisions, including active monitoring of employees for signs of heat related illness, are required if the heat index exceeds 90 degrees F.
The use of vapor-impermeable clothing by employees must be considered as an added stressor when an employer evaluates heat stress hazards.
Workplace safety regulators in California recently finalized a standard to protect workers from heat related injuries and illness, with provisions similar to the proposed federal standard. California has its own workplace health and safety agency and regulations enforced instead of federal standards.
ACMA members can contact John Schweitzer for more information.