Washington — OSHA has issued a revised National Emphasis Program on outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards.
The previous NEP, published in 2022, expired April 8 after it was extended for a year in January 2025. The updated NEP, published on April 10, is set to expire in 2031.
It includes a revised list of 55 “high-risk industries” (Appendix A). It also features information on how agency investigators will evaluate heat illness and injury prevention programs (Appendix I) and provides guidance on issuing citations (Appendix J).
“The update also includes clearer guidance that will improve tracking and more effectively implement the program’s enforcement and outreach efforts,” an OSHA press release states.
“Compliance officers will continue to conduct outreach and compliance assistance and expand any inspection where there is evidence of heat-related hazards on heat priority days. Additionally, compliance officers will conduct random inspections focused on heat hazards in high-risk industries on days when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory or warning.”
The NEP notes that OSHA’s heat-related inspections have accounted for 6% of all federal-level agency inspections in the past five years. That’s an increase from 0.5% over the five-year period that preceded the 2022 NEP.
“Heat illness remains a serious hazard for indoor and outdoor workers, leading to preventable injuries and fatalities every year,” the release says. “Ensuring that employers take the steps needed to safeguard workers is essential, and this updated program allows OSHA to better focus on outreach, compliance assistance and enforcement efforts in high-risk industries and promote effective prevention practices.”
In addition to the NEP, OSHA highlights its free On-Site Consultation Program for small and medium-sized businesses to help employers address heat-related hazards.
In August 2024, OSHA published a proposed rule on heat illness and injury prevention in outdoor and indoor settings. This past summer, the agency hosted a series of informal hearings with stakeholders, but the next steps on a heat standard are unknown.
Later this year, the federal government is expected to publish the first of two semiannual regulatory agendas, which could provide more clarity.
