Direction for Protecting Employees in Extreme Heat

Although OSHA has no specific standard that covers working in hot environments, the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide a place of employment that is “free from recognizable hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees.” This requirement includes heat-related hazards.

OSHA faces pressure from multiple organizations and individuals to adopt federal standards. Until then, Charlotte partner Travis Vance and Houston partner Pam Williams recommend in an article for Rock Road Recycle that employers should be prepared to follow National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) guidelines when temperatures rise and employees are exposed to extreme heat.

To read the article, visit Rock Road Recycle.