Bill to Establish Workplace Heat Exposure Standard Reintroduced

March 26 Democrats in the House and Senate reintroduced legislation, the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act, to require OSHA to establish an enforceable standard for workplaces with occupational exposure to excessive heat. Warehouses are cited in the legislation as a potential workplace where indoor heat stress may be prevalent.

The OSHA standard on heat exposure would require covered employers to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace excessive heat prevention plan to protect covered employees from excessive heat that may lead to heat-related injuries and illnesses.

Prevention plans would need to incorporate paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. Employers would also be required to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

The legislation’s sponsors have also released a fact-sheet on the bill.

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