For the fifth year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) to prevent heat-related deaths and illnesses.
Every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill due to working in the heat. About one-third of heat-related worker deaths occur in the construction industry, but outdoor workers in every field including agriculture, landscaping, transportation, oil and gas operations, and the like are susceptible to the dangers of heat.
In a June 10th call with meteorologists and weather reporters across the country, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels and the National Weather Service’s Deputy Director Laura Furgione discussed the importance of protecting workers from dangers related to working in the heat.
As a result of a four year partnership between the NWS and OSHA, important worker safety information is included in all NWS extreme heat alerts. Dr. Michaels asked the meteorologist to incorporate this worker safety message into their weather broadcasts. “We need your help in getting the word out that employers are responsible for providing workplaces that are safe from excessive heat. This means providing regular breaks for workers so they can cool down, and ensuring regular access to water so workers can stay hydrated.”
Lawsuit settlement boosts enforcement of heat standards for outdoor workers in California. California OSHA has reached a settlement in two lawsuits, filed in 2009 and 2012, alleging failures to protect farm workers from heat illness and death. The lawsuits were filed against Cal/OSHA by individual farm workers, the United Farm Workers, and the UFW Foundation.
“Cal/OSHA and the United Farm Workers recently reached an amicable settlement of the Bautista lawsuit, which includes provisions for us to work cooperatively in addressing heat illness prevention at outdoor worksites throughout the state,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. “That spirit of cooperation is strengthening and expanding Cal/OSHA’s enforcement and outreach efforts which have been ongoing since the heat illness prevention standard was made permanent in 2006.”
“We have found that most work-related heat deaths occur in the first few days of working in the heat,” said Michaels. “That’s why it’s important for employers to allow workers to gradually build tolerance to the heat. This is true for new, temporary, and even seasoned workers who have been away from the heat for a week or more, or at the beginning of a heat wave.”
OSHA also worked with the NWS to develop a smartphone heat safety app that allows users to calculate risk levels at a worksite and learn the protective measures needed to prevent heat illness. Almost 200,000 people have downloaded the app so far.
Visit OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention page for more information and to download or order heat illness educational materials in English or Spanish.
For more information or assistance with your Environmental and Health & Safety regulatory compliance needs, contact Ralph Carito at Total Environmental & Safety, LLC (Total) at rcarito@TotalEnviron.com or 908-442-8599.