Washington-Osha has triggered a number of informal virtual public hearings for her proposed rule, which aims to protect workers from heat-related diseases.
The hearings are to be continued by July 2. The committee for the first hearing that took place on June 15 showed representatives of:
- AFL-CIO
- US trade chamber
- US government office for the US government's advocacy
- National Federation of the independent company
- National Security Council
- American Society of Safety Professionals
- UAW International Union
Each organization presented a testimony and presented questions from various interest groups, including the lawyer and private individuals department. Stephen Henley, chief judge for administrative rights at DOL, supervised the hearing.
It is expected that more than 100 organizations or groups together with members of the public testify and field questions.
“Today's hearing is a valuable opportunity to learn from your certificates and evidence that were spent on the proposal,” said Andrew Levinson, director of the OSHA management and guidelines. “This helps to ensure the development of a clear, exact and complete public recording of this regulation. [OSHA is] Here to listen to today and in the coming days and to learn from their insights. ”
According to a communication of the proposed regulation published on August 30th, employers would have to formulate and implement a thermal-related disease and injury prevention plan for each construction site. This plan would have to be in writing if the employer has more than 10 employees.
The requirements for employers within the framework of the standard – or “initial heat release” – would come into force if the heat index in the work area reaches 80 ° F or the temperature of the wet bulb ball “corresponds to the recommended NIOSH notification limit”.
The temperature of the wet bulb ball is a metric, the air temperature, air humidity, radiant heat from sunlight or artificial heat sources, cloud cover, sunny corner and air movement such as wind speed. In contrast to the heat index, which is measured in the shade, WBGT is measured in direct sunlight, according to the National Weather service.
The requirements of the Osha would include:
- Monitoring of employees on heat stress
- Identify heating
- Provision of water (1 liter per employee per hour) and breaks in shady or air -conditioned areas
- Controls for the workplace indoors
- acclimatization
- “Effective two-way communication” between employers and employees
- Maintenance of personal protective equipment for warmth
Additional requirements – referred to as “high heat trigger” – would come into force if the heat index reaches 90 ° f or the WBGT corresponds to the recommended warning limit of NIOSH. These requirements include danger warnings, at least 15 minutes paid rest for the employees every two hours and the observation of employees on signs and symptoms of heat -related diseases using:
- A buddy system in which employees monitor each other.
- Observation of a manager or heat security coordinator – “with no more than 20 employees who are observed per superior or coordinator for heat security.”
- Two-way communication for lonely workers.
Employers would also have to place warning signs in jobs indoors, in which ambient temperatures regularly exceed 120 ° F.
The standard would not apply:
- Work activities for which “no reasonable expectation of exposure to or above the initial heat trigger” exists.
- Exposure at or above the “initial heat release” for 15 minutes or less in a period of 60 minutes.
- Organizations whose main function is the fire fighting; Activities for emergency reactions in the workplace emergency teams, emergency services or technical search and rescue; And all emergency activities already dealt with under other federal laws.
- Work activities indoors or vehicles in which the air conditioning system holds the ambient temperature below 80 ° F.
- Telework.
- Set work activities in indoor work areas, in which only a combination of the following contains: sitting, occasional standing and going for short periods of time and occasional lifting of objects with a weight of less than 10 pounds.
In May 2024, the Advisory Board unanimously approved the proposed rule for the security and health of Osha. The proposal was also examined by a review body for small business tests.