OSHA Updates National Emphasis Program for Heat Hazards
A new directive published by OSHA on Friday describes updates to the agency’s National Emphasis Program (NEP) intended to protect U.S. workers from heat-related illnesses and injuries. Significant changes to the NEP include updated target industries and the removal of a numerical inspection goal that was part of the program when it originally launched in 2022.
Data used to update the target industries for the revised heat NEP include Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data from calendar years 2021–2024 on incidence rates of heat-related illnesses and on cases of days away, restricted activity, or job transfer from exposure to environmental heat. OSHA also identified target industries using reports of severe injuries provided by employers to the agency from calendar years 2021–2024 and data from heat-related inspections from 2022–2025 that resulted in General Duty Clause violations and hazard alert letters. Based on the more recent data, 46 target industries were removed, 22 were added, and 33 were retained for the revised NEP, OSHA’s directive explains.
The NEP as originally issued (PDF) called for each OSHA region to have “a fiscal year goal of increasing their heat inspections by 100% above the baseline of the average of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.” The updated NEP eliminates that goal but mirrors the original program’s intent to reduce or eliminate occupational exposures to heat-related hazards through enforcement efforts, employer outreach, and compliance assistance.
Other changes to the NEP include two reorganized appendices on evaluating heat programs and citation guidance and added coding for work site assistance and unprogrammed emphasis hazards.
“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,” OSHA’s news release states. “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 revised NEP became effective on April 10, and the agency says it will remain in place for five years. For further details, see the updated NEP (PDF).