OSHA Receives Thousands Of Comments on Heat Stress Rule: What Employers Had to Say and What’s Next
Members of the public submitted close to 50,000 comments on OSHA’s new proposed limits on heat exposure in the workplace, with many employers expressing concern about the scope and one-size-fits-all nature of the rule. Initially proposed by the Biden administration, the rule would require all employers to take specific actions when the heat index hits 80°F and implement stricter measures when it reaches 90°F, including providing access to water and shaded rest areas. Many expect that the Trump administration will scale back the rule, but the agency has signaled that it is on board with advancing some form of heat illness protection. Business groups warned that a rigid national standard would be unworkable, and that a more performance-based standard was needed to provide more flexibility given the broad differences between worksites, weather conditions, industries, and job duties. Here’s what you need to know about feedback submitted on the proposed rule – and next steps in the process...