OR-OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Rule

We've received a number of questions about the OR-OSHA Heat Illness Prevention rule, and have partnered with Safety NW to provide resources for our Members.  Below is a brief summary of the new rule as well as a list of resources, available only for UEA Members, to help comply with the new requirements. 

What is included in the Heat Illness Prevention Rule?

OR-OSHA adopted an emergency rule that strengthens requirements for employers to protect workers from the dangers of high and extreme heat. The requirements expand access to shade and cool water. They also include regular cool-down breaks, training, communication, emergency planning and other measures.

The temporary rule is effective immediately and stays in place for 180 days, as Oregon OSHA continues its work on a permanent heat stress prevention rule with an eye on adopting it this fall. The temporary rule was adopted following direction from Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to enact emergency measures.

The temporary rule applies to any workplace – outdoors and indoors – where heat dangers are caused by the weather.  The rule incorporates the heat index, which is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.

Basics of the emergency rule:

When the heat index is equal to or above 80 degrees Fahrenheit employers are required to provide:

•  Access to sufficient shade
•  An adequate supply of drinking water

When the heat index rises above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, all of the rules for 80 degrees apply and, in addition, employers must:

• Ensure effective communication between an employee and a supervisor is maintained so that an employee can report concerns.
• Ensure that employees are observed for alertness and signs and symptoms of heat illness and monitored to determine whether medical attention is necessary.
• Provide a cool-down rest period in the shade of 10 minutes for every two hours of work. These preventative cool-down rest periods may be provided concurrently with any other meal or rest period required by policy, rule, or law.
• Develop and implement an emergency medical plan and practices to gradually adapt employees to working in the heat.

There are also supervisor and employee training requirements that must be met.  No later than Aug 1, 2021, employers must ensure that all employees, including new employees, supervisory, and non-supervisory employees, are trained in the following topics, in a language readily understood, before they begin work in a heat index equal to or in excess of 80 degrees Fahrenheit:

• The environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness, as well as the added burden of heat load on the body caused by exertion, clothing, and personal protective equipment.
• The procedures for complying with the requirements of this standard, including the employer's responsibility to provide water, provide daily heat index information, shade, cool-down rests, and access to first aid as well as the employees' right to exercise their rights under this standard without fear of retaliation.
• The concept, importance, and methods of adapting to working in a hot environment.
• The importance of employees immediately reporting symptoms or signs of heat illness in themselves, or in co-workers.
• The effects of non-job factors (medications, alcohol, obesity, etc.) on tolerance to workplace heat stress.
• The different types of heat-related illness, and the common signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.

Read the full rule

OSHA Fact Sheet

UEA Member Resources

UEA has partnered with Safety NW to assist our Members as they comply with the new rule.  UEA Members have access to the following resources to help meet the new requirements:

• Training Sheet on Heat Stress In English, including requirements under the new OSHA temp rule
• Training Sheet on Heat Stress In Spanish, including requirements under the new OSHA temp rule
• Preventing Heat Illness Program Template (can be adapted for your company)
• Preventing Heat Illness Powerpoint (can be adapted for training purposes)

If you did not receive our Safety Alert email with links to these documents, please reach out to Becca Wiegand at bwiegand@ueainc.com to request a copy.