Construction, among other business sectors, will be able to weigh in next month on new federal measures aimed at protecting workers from heat-related hazards.

The U.S. Labor Dept.'s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said it would issue in October an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to develop a workplace heat standard. Industry groups including American Road & Transportation Builders Association, Associated Builders and Contractors and National Roofing Contractors Association said they intended to participate in OSHA’s rulemaking process.

Artba的监管和法律问题副总裁Nick Goldstein说：“当然，这会影响我们的成员，包括我们的成员全年工作，包括夏季。”“因此，这将非常感兴趣。”

OSHA also recently started an enforcement initiative on worker illnesses and deaths associated with hot environments. The initiative prioritizes inspections at both indoor and outdoor worksites on days when the heat index passes 80°F, or when other potential heat hazards exist.

Environmental heat exposure at work caused an average of 38 deaths per year from 2011 to 2019, said the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and officials said related deaths may be underreported. Nearly 42% of workers who died were engaged in construction, repair or cleaning. There was also an average of 2,700 heat-related cases per year during that period that resulted in days away from work.

Serious heat-related illnesses become more frequent when the heat index goes above 80°F, especially when workers are performing strenuous work, don’t have easy access to shade or water, or are not used to the climate where they’re working, according to an OSHA memo. Factors like those have even been tied to heat-related deaths on days when the heat index was below 80°F.

Groups like ARTBA and ABC already provide guidance to their members to inform them about hazards related to harsh weather conditions, and about measures they can use to protect employees.

ABC健康，安全，环境和劳动力发展副总裁Greg Sizemore说：“其中许多措施包括常识解决方案，例如当天早些时候的开始工作，轮换建设以及对适当的水合技术进行教育。”

Inspectors would look for records indicating any heat-related illnesses, emergency room visits or ambulance transport, according to the memo. They could interview workers about symptoms of heat-related illnesses and look for conditions that might lead to a heat-related illness. Inspectors would also want to review employer plans to address heat exposure.

OSHA表示，它将鼓励雇主在炎热的日子采取积极的安全措施，例如让工人定期休息以供水和阴影。该机构还希望雇主教工人如何发现与热有关的疾病的常见症状以及在发生时应做什么。

There are some industry-developed guidelines beyond informal best practices that could help inform OSHA’s rulemaking process. The American National Standards Institute and American Society of Safety Professionals have jointly proposed their A10.50 heat stress standard for the construction and demolition workforce.

In addition to new OSHA rules, the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health will also form a work group to look into challenges and best practices to protect workers. The group will include representatives from the public, labor groups and management — as well as new members from various industries, according to the White House.

President Joe Biden said on Sept. 20 the new worker protection measures are part of a slate of new efforts by various federal agencies to deal with extreme heat, which he tied to climate change.

他说：“与其他天气事件一样，由于气候变化的频率和凶猛性，极端高温越来越严重，威胁着全国各地的社区。”他补充说，国家气象局已经确认了这一点。。”

倡导者长期以来一直呼吁政府建立标准，以保护工人免受热危害。如前所新利luck述，由公共公民领导的130多个组织组请愿OSHAin 2018 to mandate rest breaks away from heat and work halts at certain levels.

A few states already have heat-related safety regulations in place for workers. A California standard applying to construction and select other industries requires workers to have access to shade whenever the temperature is higher than 80°F, with other procedures added when temperatures hit 95°F such as a mandatory buddy system and mandatory cool-down breaks every two hours.