The topic of worker heat exposure has made headlines across the country in recent years. In January of this year, OSHA leveled a fine of $149,664 for violations of the General Duty Clause in response to the 2018 death of a California Postal Worker. Workers in farming, construction, landscaping, oil fields, utilities, and our military face significant risk to heat related illnesses as temperatures begin to rise.
These are hardly isolated incidents. According to OSHA’s records, there were 30 fatalities related to heat-related illness from 2017-2018. Over the past 25 years, there have been more than 200 recorded deaths.