A heat hazard protection standard from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) continues to be in the pre-rule stage and is still under consideration. View a PDF update.
Workers most commonly affected by heat-related illnesses are:
• Postal and delivery services
• Landscaping
• Commercial building
• Highway, street and bridge construction workers
Workers who most commonly suffer heat-related fatalities were:
• Landscaping
• Masonry
• Highway, street and bridge construction workers
On Oct. 27, 2021, OSHA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to officially start the process of creating a mandatory heat hazard protection standard. Currently, OSHA has only a recommended, not required, workplace heat standard. However, many states have their own heat exposure standard as part of their OSHA-approved state plans.
Maine’s state plan covers state and local government workers only. Click here for a map showing all state plans.
