workplace safety
26
MICA MESSENGER
I 
t seems appropriate 
that I use this article to 
update our members 
on heat illness preven-
tion. First, remember 
that the OSHA Heat Illness 
Prevention Standard is still 
pending at OSHA. As I hope 
you will recall, virtual public 
hearings were held on this 
proposed standard in July 
2025. As a result of this, 
the record was opened for 
anyone to submit written 
comments until October 30, 
2025. OSHA established a 
National Emphasis Pro-
gram (NEP) for Heat Illness 
Prevention, which was set 
to, and did, expire on April 
8, 2026. However, on April 
10, 2026, OSHA established 
a new NEP for five more 
years. In doing so, OSHA has 
reminded employers and 
employees that it takes heat 
illness, and the injuries it can 
cause, very seriously. 
In the new NEP, OSHA has 
updated target industries 
using current data from the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics 
and OSHA. These industries 
have been identified as res-
idential building construc-
tion; non-residential building 
construction; foundation, 
structure and building ex-
terior contractors; building 
finishing contractors; and 
other specialty trade con-
tractors as target industries 
for heat illness prevention 
enforcement. I believe that 
this covers just about any 
OSHA 
SAFETY 
UPDATE: 
HOT OFF THE 
PRESS!!
Gary Auman
Auman, Mahan & Furry

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