In a surprising move the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced that it will be moving forward with promulgating it’s proposed “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Indoor and Outdoor Work Settings” Standard. Given the current administration’s views on worker protections and worker rights this has come as quite a surprise to many. While we certainly have some concerns as to what the current administration might do with the proposed standard WisCOSH is determined to continue the fight to protect workers from recognized hazards and will be providing testimony on the need for a comprehensive heat standard.
Long time board member Jim Schultz has submitted a Notice of Intention to Appear at the hearing that OSHA is planning to hold. Mr. Schultz has provided testimony and evidence at a number of previous OSHA hearings on proposed standards including ergonomics and silica. The National COSH has requested that all COSH groups that are planning to present testimony at the hearings be grouped together as a panel. It is hoped that this will have a stronger impact over what would likely be spread out testimony of lived experiences of workers amongst many days of corporate testimony. WisCOSH is certain there will be a good deal of testimony from many labor unions but fell it imperative that OSHA, and by extension employers, hear directly from affected workers and their advocates.
OSHA has recently posted the detailed schedule of when the hearing will be held. Starting on June 16, and continuing on most weekdays afterward, OSHA will be holding hearings from 9:30am EDT to 4:30pm EDT with a one hour lunch break at 12pm EDT. In a break from past hearing processes the hearing will be live streamed over YouTube rather than in person whether in Washington D.C. or other venues across the country. For a fuller list of days as well as more information on the hearing and proposed standard can be found on OSHA‘s website.