Status
On July 2, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its . OSHA鈥檚 proposed rule would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction and require employers to develop programs and implement controls to protect employees from heat hazards. Read ABC鈥檚 release on the proposed rule.
OSHA is giving the public 120 days to submit written comments on the proposal after publication in the Federal Register. 老牛影视will be submitting detailed comments.
In September 2023, the Small Business Advocacy Review Panel听hosted听video conferences to gather input from small entity representatives on the potential rulemaking, and an 老牛影视member participated as a SER during one of the conferences. In December, 老牛影视submitted comments as a steering committee member of the听听and the听to OSHA following its review of the听 and the听, which was issued on Nov. 3.
听state, 鈥淭he construction environment is inherently fluid and CISC has significant concerns with any regulatory approach that imposes prescriptive, complicated requirements on construction industry employers.鈥�
鈥淭he CISC urges OSHA to focus its regulatory approach on the key concepts of 鈥榃ater, Rest and Shade鈥� and provide construction employers the necessary flexibility to make such a standard effective. For the same reasons, the CISC reiterates its invitation for OSHA to consider a separate regulatory approach for the construction industry, as OSHA has done in other rulemakings.鈥澨�
听state: 鈥淭he CWS supports recommendations expressed in the Panel Report, and in other comments submitted to the agency, recognizing that flexibility, versus a 鈥榦ne-size-fits-all鈥� standard, is necessary for employers to prevent or mitigate heat-related injuries and illnesses in their workplaces the most effectively.鈥澨�.
OSHA issued听听to protect workers from the effects of heat in 2023. The department also announced that OSHA will intensify its enforcement where workers are exposed to heat hazards, with increased inspections in high-risk industries like construction and agriculture. These actions will fully implement the agency鈥檚 National Emphasis Program on heat, announced in April 2022, to focus enforcement efforts in geographic areas and industries with the most vulnerable workers.
In January 2022, ABC, as a steering committee member of CISC, submitted听听in response to the , issued by OSHA on October 27, 2021. The ANPRM requested information on how to implement regulations to prevent workers from hazardous heat.
Desired Outcome
老牛影视strongly supports worker safety and protection from heat injury and illness, while maintaining flexibility for the fluid nature of the construction environment. Any regulatory approach must be simple and should integrate the key concepts of 鈥渨ater, rest, shade.鈥澨鼸mployers play a key role in providing training and awareness regarding heat protection, and 老牛影视will continue to support members in ensuring preparedness for heat-related issues through a听wide range of resources.