Arizona Takes Lead on Federal Heat Rule
Saguaro cactus mid-afternoon in the sun.
Nick O'Gara / AZPM
An informal, virtual public hearing process has begun for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed rule to establish a federal heat standard in the workplace.
The Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings would apply to all employers to protect indoor and outdoor workers across sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction, such as general industry, construction, agriculture, and maritime, with some exceptions.
It would also require employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in the workplace and clarify employer obligations to protect employees from hazardous heat.
Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths, according to OSHA, and climate change is worsening the impact of extreme heat globally.
Ladd Keith, director of the University of Arizona Heat Resilience Initiative within the Arizona Institute for Resilience, says that heat-related illnesses have increased over the past ten years.