b'News ReleaseU.S. Department of Labor|June 22, 2023US Department of Labor invites small business owners, local governments to share input on poten-tial heat standard to protect indoor, outdoor workers Panels will assess impacts of possible regulatory changes on small businesses WASHINGTONTheU.S.DepartmentofLabor urgessmallbusinessownersandrepresentatives fromlocalgovernmententitiestojointhedepart-ments Occupational Safety and Health Administra-tionandothergovernmentagenciesforaseriesof upcoming discussions on the potential impacts of a workplace heat standard on small businesses.WiththeU.S.commonlyexperiencingrisingtemperatures,hazardsassociatedwithexposureto hightemperaturesintheworkplacearealsoincreasing.Whilelargelypreventableandoften underreported,workplaceheatillnesssickens thousands of people and, in some cases, is fatal for others.Currently, OSHA is developing a potential standard for workplacesin which the agency has jurisdic-tionto prevent heat illness and injury in outdoor and indoor environments in general industry and in the construction, maritime and agriculture industries. Aspartofitsprocess,OSHAisholdingSmallBusinessAdvocacyReviewPanelmeetingsin summer 2023 to gather views on the potential effects of a heat standard on small businesses.The panel will be comprised of representatives from OSHA,theU.S.SmallBusinessAdministrations Office of Advocacy, and the Office of Management and Budgets Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.While the panel welcomes representatives from any industry,thegroupisinterestedparticularlyin collectinginputfromindustriestheagencyexpects wouldbemostaffectedbyaheatstandard.These industriesincludeagriculture,construction,land-scaping, manufacturing, oil and gas, warehousing, (continued to page 23)13'