Working during the summer months means many workers may be at risk of heat stress and heat-related illnesses — especially when exposed to direct sunlight and high temperatures, involved in heavy physical labor, or required to wear heavy protective clothing.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), “heat is the leading cause of death among all hazardous weather conditions in the United States.”¹

In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), notes that “there were 33,890 estimated work-related heat injuries and illnesses that resulted in days away from work from 2011-2020, an average of 3,389 per year in that time period.”¹

Workers in construction, especially those in road construction or working at height, agriculture, and oil and gas well operations are some of the most common industries for heat-related illnesses.²

Types of Heat-Related Illnesses

The four most common heat-related illnesses, most to least severe, are:

• Heat Stroke
• Heat Exhaustion
• Heat Cramps
• Heat Rashes

OSHA Heat Regulations

To help protect workers from the risks of heat stress, OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings” in the Federal Register August 2024.¹  According to OSHA, an informal public hearing on the proposed rule is scheduled to be held virtually and begin on June 16, 2025.

“Heat Injury Illness and Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings,” would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction, with some exceptions.³

PPE Solutions to Help Enhance Heat Stress Prevention

In applications that often require working safely in hot temperatures, one important consideration for workers is appropriate PPE for heat stress. MSA offers several solutions, including:

• V-Gard C1® Hard Hat, featuring a patented ReflectIR™ Thermal Barrier technology to keep the inside of the hard hat up to 20°F (11°C) cooler in sunny weather
• V-Gard® Cooling Pads, including Crown Cooler and Crown Cooler with Neck Shade (UPF 50+), featuring HyperKewl™ evaporative cooling to help provide extended relief from heat fatigue and heat stress

Download this white paper to learn more about the risks of outdoor heat stress and an overview of some of the latest MSA PPE solutions to help mitigate the risks.

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Sources:

1. https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking
2. https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure
3. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/Heat-NPRM-Final-Background-to-Sum-Ex.pdf