Extreme heat is the No. 1 cause of weather-related fatalities in the United States, killing around 2,000 people each year. That number is greater than the total from natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados and floods combined.

Climate change has caused temperatures to rise each year, making each year more of a threat than ever before. Heat related deaths have surged more than 50% over the last two decades. Just over the last two years alone there were over 4,800 deaths in the U.S. due to heat-related illnesses.

While heat exhaustion makes up the majority of hospital visits annually, heatstroke ER cases are starting to rise as well. About 20% of these hospital visits are related to employees working outdoors and in other hot environments in the workplace.

OSHA requires employers to protect workers from heat-related illnesses under the General Duty Clause, which mandates a workplace free from recognized hazards causing death or serious harm.

Key OSHA Heat Safety Requirements

  • Water: Provide cool potable water and encourage drinking (e.g. 1 cup every 20 minutes).
  • Rest: Implement paid 15-minute rest breaks every two hours when the heat index reaches 90 degrees.
  • Shade/Cooling: Provide shaded areas or AC when temperatures exceed 80 degrees.
  • Acclimatization: Allow new or returning employees time to gradually adjust to high temperatures.
  • Training: Train employees to recognize and respond to heat illness symptoms.

Heat Triggers

  • 80 degrees: Basic safety measures like rest and water breaks
  • 90 degrees: Strict monitoring, mandatory paid rest breaks and emergency response plans

If the humidity is a factor, employees can begin to feel the impact of heat exhaustion, even at 80 degrees.

Many states have their own OSHA approved state plans so check with your state to see what those plans are. Many states may have regulations that exceed the OSHA minimum requirements.

Some other related OSHA standards that apply to hot weather requirements are as follows.

The Recordkeeping Standard (29 CFR 1904), which requires employees to keep records of any work-related injury and illnesses and heat related illness, qualifies by this standard. The exception is if the illness is a simple first-aid case it does not need to be recorded as an OSHA recordable.

The Sanitation standards at (29 CFR 1910.141, 29 CFR 1915.88, 29 CFR 1917.127, 29 CFR 1918.95, 29 CFR 1926.51 and 29 CFR 1928.110) require employers to provide potable water.

The Medical Services and First Aid standards at (29 CFR 1910.151, 29 CFR 1915.87, 29 CFR 1917.26, 29 CFR 1918.97 and 29 CFR 1926.50), require that persons on site be adequately trained to render first-aid, in the absence of medical facilities within close proximity.

The Safety Training and Education standard for construction at 29 CFR 1926.21.

We all have different tolerance levels for heat exposure. Those who work outdoors year-round are generally more acclimated to the hot weather by the time it gets here as opposed to new employees or those who occasionally work outdoors. Still, don’t get complacent if you work outdoors year around. The following are common reasons employees may be more susceptible than others.

  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Lower level of physical fitness
  • Age
  • Under certain medications (check the labels)
  • Drug and alcohol use and/or abuse
  • Medical conditions such as respiratory disease, kidney disease and neurological conditions can be made worse by heat

Engineering controls like having cooling fans, taking breaks in the AC, an increase of ventilation, cooled seats or benches, and misting fans to spray fine water droplets can reduce the exposure and prevent heat-related illnesses from occurring.

There are work practice controls such as modifying work schedules to earlier in the day or later in the evening when it is cooler. You can reduce the physical demands or reschedule certain work to a day that will be cooler. Another practice is to rotate workers on 20-minute shifts during the hotter part of the day. Lastly, employers should have a “buddy” system in place so workers are not working alone in hot environments.

There are some options for clothing as well such as cooling vests, jackets with pockets for ice packs, and cooling neck wraps that will help keep workers cooler during the hottest days.

With proper planning and training employees will be able to withstand the dog days of summer and prevent heat-related illness.

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