A proposed federal rule to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat stress is now under review at the White House.
The agency has been working on a national heat stress standard (RIN:1218-AD39) since 2021 amid rising global temperatures that have led to some of the hottest summers on record.
Text of the proposal, sent Tuesday to the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, hasn’t been made public. But the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration previously said protection mandates could kick in any time the heat index reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
OIRA doesn’t have a deadline to complete its review. After that office finishes review, OSHA will publish the proposal for a public comment period. After analyzing those comments, OSHA must send the final version of the rule to OIRA for a second review.
If the Biden administration moves swiftly the requirements could be in place for the summer of 2025.
