As we approach the summer season, and temperatures begin to rise across the country, OSHA will continue to enforce workplace heat hazards under their National Emphasis Program (NEP)– Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards. The original NEP went into effect on April 8, 2022, and was to be in effect no longer than three years, unless canceled or extended by a superseding directive. On January 16, 2025, OSHA issued a notice of extension signed by outgoing Assistant Secretary, Doug Parker. This extends active enforcement under the original NEP until April 8, 2026.
Under the emphasis program, each region is expected to double their heat-related inspections when compared to previous years. Any proposed citation for a heat-related health hazard will be issued under the General Duty Clause (GDC), section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, when all elements of a violation have been established. To date, the agency has conducted approximately eight thousand heat-related inspections.
The NEP includes program elements that compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) will use to gauge an employer’s efforts to prevent heat-related injuries and illnesses. Many go well above and beyond the basic concepts of “Water. Rest. Shade” which have been the core elements of the OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Campaign since 2011. AGC encourages contractors to consult with these FAQs in developing their heat illness and injury programs to mitigate heat-related hazards on construction jobsites.
For more information, contact Kevin Cannon.