Fun fact: OSHA recommendations aren’t enforceable. Not supporting this, but the only way you can get traction on workplace temperature (unless you’re in California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon, or Washington) is under the general duty clause. While a smart employer keeps their employees safe and reasonably comfortable, all federal OSHA requires is that you vaguely don’t hurt them.
Comment on Sweatshop
ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
The OSHA recommendation is 68-76F, which isn’t a direct link to ‘reasonable’ but provides a suitable context to frame workplace conditions.
If people’s body temperatures can be measured exceeding 100F a link to heat stress and increasing risk of injury in the workplace can also be drawn as it’s generally the equivalent of working with a fever.
SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 1 day ago
Yep, and precisely why there is the need to develop an argument in defining ‘reasonable’ instead of just citing the applicable law or regulation. The OSHA recommendation provides a less arbitrary foundation for defining a reasonable temperature.
LillyPip@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
Environmental temps that high put you a serious risk of heat stroke, though. That seems like a pretty clear health and safety violation.
From OSHA: Exposure to Outdoor and Indoor Heat‑Related Hazards
Dangers of Exposure to Heat Hazards
Exposure to heat hazards both outdoors and indoors could lead to serious illness, injury, or death. Heat-related illnesses and injuries can happen at varying ambient temperatures, especially in cases where workers are not acclimated, perform moderate or higher physical activity, or wear heavy or bulky clothing or equipment, including personal protective equipment. Heat-related illnesses and injuries also generally occur when body heat generated by physical work is performed in conditions of high ambient heat, especially when combined with humidity and inadequate cooling.
Heat Index
The National Weather Service (NWS) uses a heat index (HI) to classify environmental heat into four categories:
- Caution (80°F – 90°F HI);
- Extreme Caution (91°F – 103°F HI);
- Danger (103°F – 124°F HI); and,
- Extreme Danger (126°F or higher HI).
It sounds like you’re in the Extreme Caution (and sometimes in the Danger) category.
OSHA mentions a Heat Safety Tool app in that document, too.
Here’s their Heat Stress Guide, too, which says:
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) requires employers to comply with hazard-specific safety and health standards. In addition, pursuant to Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, employers must provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Enforceability does vary, but OP should know this sounds like a pretty blatant violation and may be enforceable.
SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 day ago
Preface: I work in environmental, health, and safety, and industrial hygiene, so this is my job. Not stating I know all there is to know, just that I know some.
The problem is those are all recommendations, not regulations, so nothing there is enforceable. The NWS heat index advice is meant for the general population without accounting for any mitigating conditions - it’s a catch-all recommendation. It’s meant for you, me, and my 400 pound, 90 year old neighbor with congestive heart failure, all sitting in direct sun without any water or moving air. Millions of people work in hotter conditions on a regular basis, and can do so safely as long as extensive precautions are taken. It’s not comfortable, but it’s safe as long as people are smart about it. Is OP’s employer being smart? Maybe. Let’s go through it together!
Let’s go off of Cal/OSHA’s guidelines, which is a decent program. I think it needs a hard “stop working it’s too damn hot” cutoff, but that’s just me (and every other safety person). Anyhow… if OP has hit 95°F, with a relative humidity of 50%, their heat index is 105. For anything above 80°F, employees need access to a nearby cooler rest area below 82°F. A work environment at 87+°F (82°F w/ hot clothing or high radiant heat) triggers a further response from the employer, foremost in the form of feasible engineering controls - things that make it cooler. This could include air conditioning but, for a larger workplace environment, often ends up being ventilation in the form of big industrial fans since HVAC is massively expensive. Don’t discount the fans, though - I got one at auction and they seriously kick ass. If the employer can afford HVAC but opts for fans, it’s still legal as long as fans work sufficiently (i.e., this wouldn’t fly in a foundry but is fine in many factories), but the employer is just a piece of shit. 'Murica! Past that, we go to administrative controls - changing what people do. This includes mandatory 14 day acclimation periods for new employees, breaks in an air-conditioned space, scheduled hydration, monitoring for non-acclimated employees, and an emergency response plan. Then we’re on to PPE - neck fans, cooling vests, ice packs, etc. The stuff you use when everything else still doesn’t quite cut it.
I don’t know the exact details of op’s workplace but, based on what they’ve communicated, their workplace likely isn’t a serious hazard for a reasonably healthy, heat-acclimated adult taking at least most of the above heat illness precautions. I need more info (like if they’re working with ovens or other heat producing equipment) but my professional, somewhat off-the-cuff recommendation is employees be dressed appropriately, acclimated to the temperature, remain hydrated, take periodic rest breaks in an air conditioned space (I’d advise 10 minutes on the hour, maybe more), and implement a monitoring/emergency response program. Work won’t be comfortable, but it’s unlikely to hurt anyone based on my current, incomplete understanding. Is their boss a giant turd for not getting HVAC when building a helipad was a consideration? Definitely.
LillyPip@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
Yes, but mightn’t this OSHA info be useful to put the fear of god into them? Based on what I’ve read in OP’s post and comments, it doesn’t sound like the employer is taking any kind of precautions (break room with AC, etc).
There’s no legal case here, but if people are unreasonably uncomfortable, it seems bringing up the OSHA regs (specifically, not generally) could at least get them to improve conditions a bit.
My ex and my son both work in a state and industry where OSHA is a guideline and not a rule, but if you bring up a possible OSHA violation in a health and safety meeting, it’s taken seriously. Not because they’re worried about citations, but because often that can be grounds for a civil lawsuit if something does happen (it’s a basis for ‘they should have known). Companies will try to meet those standards to cover their ass, right?
I’m talking about residential and commercial property management, not manufacturing, though, so it may be different.
Asafum@feddit.nl 1 day ago
I brought that up once during a health and safety meeting, but the issue is the state law being so vague we can’t really force a change and since this isn’t a corporation they seem less inclined to care about legal issues. We’re just a small “mom and pop” factory, like the health and safety meeting I have is myself and the QA inspection guy lol From how he’s described his interactions with “the office” in relation to things mentioned in the meetings they seem to just want us to write down the minutes of the meetings as a formality for OSHA if they ever did come to inspect.
I’ll mention it again so it is on record multiple times though.
Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 1 day ago
Can you break the office ac? Or repeatedly set it to the warehouse temp every time you walk by it.