Study links extreme heat to workplace injuries as OSHA faces delays
A new study reveals that extreme heat contributes to thousands of workplace injuries annually, with risks rising above 85 degrees Fahrenheit heat index. Researchers confirm that basic protections like water, shade, and breaks reduce these risks. However, a federal government shutdown threatens to delay OSHA's proposed national heat standard.
Researchers from Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health analyzed nearly 900,000 workplace injury cases from OSHA's 2023 database. They attributed 28,000 injuries to heat, affecting workers across all sectors, including indoor environments. The study, published this week and led by Barrak Alahmad, found injury risks increase when the heat index reaches 85 degrees Fahrenheit and escalate further above 90 degrees.
"This study elegantly confirms what all of us have experienced," said Charlotte Brody, vice president of health initiatives at the BlueGreen Alliance. "When it gets really hot, it’s hard to do hard work safely. And the hotter it gets, the more clumsy and fuzzy thinking we get."
David Michaels, a study author and former OSHA head from 2009 to 2017, emphasized broader impacts: "It’s very clear that heat causes more than simply heat illness and unfortunately heat fatalities. But it also causes thousands of injuries every year. When you’re working in heat, you can much more easily make mistakes."
Juanita Constible, a senior advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, called the findings "eye-opening," noting it as the first national examination of heat's role in injuries. The study showed states with their own heat standards experience lower injury risks on hot days, a point Constible described as "the most critical piece of the paper."
Worker injuries cost employers over $58 billion in 2021, according to Liberty Mutual. OSHA's rulemaking process, which averages seven years, is receiving final comments on a proposed national heat rule until October 30. The shutdown, starting last Wednesday, may suspend progress, as the agency typically takes years to finalize rules.
"I think we can expect that this will lead to delays in promulgating an OSHA rule," Brody said. Constible noted the online comment portal remains active but could face maintenance issues. Industry opposition and the Trump administration's deregulatory stance raise concerns about weakening the standard, though Michaels hopes for strong protections if worker safety is prioritized.