ARTBA Urges Flexibility for Proposed Heat Standards

What’s happening: ARTBA and other industry groups are urging regulatory flexibility for protecting workers from heat exposure and illness.

Why it matters: Some aspects of transportation construction, such as paving, require working in heat. Geography also impacts heat exposure. A business in Arizona, for example, might have a different approach than one in Wisconsin. In Jan 26 comments, ARTBA urged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to allows employers to adopt measures best suited to their circumstances. ARTBA also outlined how the transportation community is already addressing heat challenges, including worker training, rest breaks, and night work when daytime temperatures are too hot. Similar comments were sent to OSHA through the Construction Industry Safety Coalition.

What’s next: OSHA will analyze the information it has received during the comment process and issue a proposed standard for heat exposure, but there is no timetable for its release. ARTBA will continue to engage with the agency as it develops the rule.