Through Monday, DFW Airport had reached 100 degrees 23 times in 2022, more than any single year since 2018. The National Weather Service predicts temperatures above 100 at least through next Monday. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a campaign to protect people who work outside.
From 2011 through 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says 344 Americans died from exposure to heat while working outside. In 2019, the most recent year statistics were available, 43 died.
This year, OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health introduced an app called the "OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool."
Users can enter the temperature and humidity, and the app will show the level of danger when working outside. The app will also remind people when to take water breaks or sit in the shade and can show people how to plan for an emergency.
“Our goal is to ensure workers are safe in hot indoor and outdoor environments. In the past several years, OSHA’s heat safety campaign has been intently focused on raising awareness of the related dangers. Our recent national emphasis program is reaching out to unions, employers in target industries and other organizations to protect workers most often exposed to heat illness and injuries," OSHA Regional Administrator Eric Harbin wrote in a statement.
OSHA has also launched a national campaign called, "Water. Rest. Shade":
1. Encourage workers to drink water every 15 minutes.
2. Take frequent rest breaks in the shade to cool down.
3. Have an emergency plan ready to respond when a worker shows signs of heat-related illness.
4. Train workers on the hazards of heat exposure, and how to prevent illness.
5. Allow workers to build a tolerance for working in heat.
OSHA says working in direct sunlight can increase heat index values by 15 degrees. This spring, the agency also launched a program to "proactively inspect workplaces for heat-related hazards" in 70 industries considered high risk.
"Tragically, the three-year average of workplace deaths caused by heat has doubled since the early 1990s. These extreme heat hazards aren’t limited to outdoor occupations, the seasons or geography. From farm workers in California to construction workers in Texas and warehouse workers in Pennsylvania, heat illness – exacerbated by our climate’s rising temperatures – presents a growing hazard for millions of workers,” U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said in a statement.
Information on heat-related illness and responsibilities of employers and workers is available at osha.gov/heat .
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