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Prepare for scrutiny of your efforts to protect staffers from the heat

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Brace for new scrutiny of the measures you’re taking to protect your crew members from the danger posed by high heat levels.

The deal: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a national emphasis program (NEP) on heat hazards. The NEP is expected to lead to a significant increase in the number of regulatory inspections focused on what companies are doing to train their employees to recognize heat risks and to provide staff members with water, rest and shade.

According to documents detailing the NEP, OSHA inspectors are required to physically examine operations that report a hospitalization caused by high heat. And inspections are mandated when employees file an official heat-related complaint with OSHA.

The NEP applies to both outdoor and indoor crew members because a heat-related illness can occur at almost any temperature, especially in situations where people are engaging in high levels of physical activity or wearing heavy or bulky clothing.

(From the April 25, 2022, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)