National Emphasis Program Launched to Protect Indoor and Outdoor Workers from Heat Hazards

Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to protect workers from heat illnesses and injuries. This is the first time OSHA has conducted a NEP to protect workers from indoor and outdoor heat hazards.
 
Through the program, OSHA is conducting heat-related workplace inspections before workers suffer completely preventable injuries, illnesses, or fatalities. This is significant as the agency reports that the three-year average of workplace deaths caused by heat has doubled since the early 1990s. These extreme heat hazards aren’t limited to outdoor occupations, seasons, or geography.
 
OSHA reports this NEP went into effect across the nation on April 8^th and will remain in effect for three years unless canceled or extended by a superseding directive. This enforcement mechanism allows OSHA to proactively inspect indoor and outdoor workplaces for heat-related hazards in general industry, maritime, construction, and agriculture operations.
 
The program targets over 70 high-risk industries based on:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on incidence rates of heat-related illnesses and number of employee days away from work rate,
• Elevated numbers of fatalities or hospitalizations reported by employers to OSHA, and
• Highest number of heat-related general duty clause 5(a)(1) violations and Hazard Alert Letters over a 5-year period (1/1/2017 thru 12/31/2021), or highest number of OSHA heat inspections since 2017.

Dedicated to helping employers create a safe work environment for their employees, and to comply with existing health and safety regulations, are the industrial hygiene professionals at CTSI. With offices in Florida and the New York metropolitan area, CTSI offers industrial hygiene consulting, testing, monitoring, and training services to protect workers from thermal stressors and other occupational exposure risks.
 
To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com , or call (212) 971-7016. 
 
About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

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Paul Cochrane

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Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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