After 16 Months, OSHA’s Heat Stress Emphasis Program Has Inspected 4,700 Workplaces and Identified About 140 Alleged Violations
According to a Bloomberg report, after almost 16 months of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) heat stress emphasis program, the agency has inspected about 4,700 workplaces but only issued about 140 citations for heat-related violations. Instead, OSHA is focused on educating businesses and issuing warning letters that stop short of citing employers and advise them on ways they can protect workers such as ensuring rest breaks, having cool water on hand, and acclimatizing new hires.
SWACCA has been deeply engaged in OSHA’s ongoing efforts to address workplace heat injury and illness, including submitting comments with the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry in January 2022 on OSHA’s Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings proposed rule and engaging on recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health for the proposed heat injury and illness standard. SWACCA also engaged in Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act meetings where proposed elements for the heat injury and illness proposed rule were discussed.
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