The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the opening of the public comment period for its proposed rule intended to protect millions of workers from the significant health risks of extreme heat. The proposed rule, Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings, was published in the Federal Register.
Announced in July by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the rule — if finalized — would help protect approximately 36 million workers in indoor and outdoor work settings. It is expected to substantially reduce workplace heat injuries, illnesses and fatalities.
Comments can be submitted here before Dec. 30. OSHA anticipates holding a public hearing after the close of the written comment period, with details to be announced.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in its Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, documented 1,042 U.S. worker deaths due to occupational exposure to environmental heat from 1992–2022. There were an average of 34 fatalities per year during that period. In 2022 alone, BLS reported 43 work-related deaths due to environmental heat exposure.
The BLS Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses estimates 33,890 work-related heat injuries and illnesses involving days away from work from 2011–2020. That’s an average of 3,389 injuries with illnesses occurring each year during this period.
From Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2022, 1,054 heat-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities were reported to and investigated by OSHA. They included 625 heat-related hospitalizations, 211 heat-related fatalities, as well as 218 heat-related injuries and illnesses that did not result in hospitalization. Fatalities were most frequently reported in construction, landscaping, agriculture, manufacturing and postal and delivery service. However, these statistics likely do not capture the true magnitude and prevalence of heat-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
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