OSHA Extends Its Heat Program
Although there is no federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) heat rule, OSHA still issues heat citations under its General Duty clause. On April 10, 2026, OSHA issued an updated National Emphasis Program for outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards. The updated plan will “direct Agency resources where they can make the biggest impact” “focusing inspections and outreach in industries and workplaces where heat stress risks are most likely to occur.”
The updated plan sets forth a “target list” of 55 “high-hazard” industries, including animal slaughtering/processing and many others. OSHA will attempt to make random heat inspections on any day that the weather service has announced a heat warning or advisory, based on its target list. In addition, OSHA will focus on heat-related hazards even during non-heat-related inspections in some circumstances.
This article is part of our June 2026 Newsletter.
View the newsletter online
Download the newsletter as a PDF
Related Content
Get Email Updates

Workers’ Comp Essentials: Coverage Rules, Contractor Risks, and Common Pitfalls

New DOJ Memo Affects Disparate Impact Liability and Finds Unintentional Workplace Bias Not Illegal

How New EEOC National Enforcement Plan Affects Employers

Current Status of Removal Protections for Haitians and Syrians in the U.S.

Supreme Court Gives Presidents Power to Fire Heads of Most Independent Federal Agencies



