Washington Schedules Public Meetings on Possible Indoor Heat Rule for Workers
Washington regulators will use the input to help develop a preliminary draft rule, which they will share before holding more meetings around the state in 2027.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Oct 27, 2026
Workers, business representatives and other interested parties can weigh in in November on what may help employers prevent heat-related illness among indoor workers in Washington.
The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) is holding four in-person meetings and two virtual sessions on its indoor heat exposure rulemaking. Its Division of Occupational Safety and Health started the rulemaking Aug. 18 by filing a Pre-proposal Statement of Inquiry.
Across all industries, the rulemaking will consider on-the-job hazards from high heat, L&I said. Possible requirements include trigger temperatures, or some other gauge of the strain environmental conditions put on the body.
Requirements could also cover preventive steps such as water, ways to cool down and rest breaks, as well as training, planning and emergency response. That list is not exhaustive, the agency said.
Comments from the meetings will feed into a preliminary draft rule, L&I said. The agency will release that draft ahead of more stakeholder meetings in 2027. Those sessions will be held in other parts of the state as well.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.