Labor Department Refines Inspection Strategy for Heat Hazards
The agency updated its National Emphasis Program to better target high-risk industries using recent data on workplace heat illness.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- Apr 10, 2026
The U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA has updated its National Emphasis Program focused on protecting workers from indoor and outdoor heat-related hazards.
The revised program, which is effective immediately, uses agency data and Bureau of Labor Statistics information from 2022 through 2025 to prioritize inspections. The update identifies 55 high-risk industries where heat stress risks are most prevalent.
The revision streamlines the program by removing outdated background information and eliminating previous numerical inspection goals. It introduces reorganized guidance for evaluating employer heat programs and provides clearer instructions for citation procedures.
Under the updated guidelines, compliance officers will conduct random inspections in high-risk industries on days when the National Weather Service issues heat advisories or warnings. Officers are also instructed to expand any active inspection if evidence of heat-related hazards is found on heat priority days.
The program is scheduled to remain in effect for five years. OSHA will continue to offer compliance assistance through its On-Site Consultation Program, a confidential service designed to help small and medium-sized businesses develop safety strategies.
About the Author
Jesse Jacobs is assistant editor of OHSOnline.com.