Heat-related injuries are this summer’s hot topic

As summer heats up, employers should keep a close eye on how heat affects their workforce. Heat-related illness is a hot topic for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as state OSHA plans.

Recently, an unusual settlement involved the Department of Labor (DOL) and OSHA over several heat injury and illness matters. As a result of the settlement, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) agreed to spend millions of dollars on a new fleet of mail carrier vehicles equipped with air conditioners. The interesting circumstance of the federal government punishing itself for not maintaining proper heat protections for employees is likely an indication of things to come for employers across the nation.