Working Safely in Hot Weather

Summer is here, and so is hot weather. While federal OSHA regulations don’t include a specific standard that addresses the risk of heat injury, the “general duty” clause, which requires employers to provide a safe workplace, has been used in various states to penalize employers for exposing workers to unsafe conditions related to hot weather. And no matter what state you build in, and whether or not OSHA rules apply to your company, keeping yourself and your workers safe during a heat wave is just common sense. As temperatures climb above 85-degrees, be sure to provide your crew with water and shade breaks, and know the warning signs for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.