OSHA has called for Idaho employers to protect their workers from extreme heat, as temperatures continue to climb this summer.
Parts of Idaho are expected to reach triple digits soon, but there are currently no state heat regulations to protect employees from heat-related illnesses.
Only five states in the U.S. have plans to keep workers safe, but the White House has proposed a new federal rule to protect about 36 million workers from heat-related injuries or death.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule, if approved, would make every state establish plans to mitigate severe heat exposure.
Most heat fatalities happen during the first week of work because employees don’t have enough time to build up heat tolerance.
There is a free app called the OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool, to help calculate how hot a worksite is and what the associated risks are. It also provides recommendations to prevent heat-related illnesses and is available in English and Spanish.
OSHA encourages people to drink plenty of water, take breaks in the shade and to be aware of heat illness symptoms, which include an increased heart rate, nausea, headaches and dizziness.
