OSHA Proposes First Federal Workplace Heat Standard

OSHA today released its proposed standard for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings. If finalized, this rulemaking would mark the first federal standard requiring employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplace.

According to the proposal, the standard would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime and agriculture sectors, with some exceptions.

Five states currently have heat injury and illness prevention regulations to protect employees exposed to heat hazards in the workplace: Colorado, California, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington.

Elements of the proposed standard are summarized in an agency fact sheet and include the following:

Training for supervisors, heat safety coordinators and employees;
Developing and implementing a work site heat injury and illness prevention plan (a written plan must be created for employers with more than 10 employees);
An initial heat trigger with a heat index of 80°F. When the workplace temperature reaches the initial heat trigger, requirements for employers include providing drinking water, break areas for indoor and outdoor work sites, acclimatization of new and returning employees, paid rest breaks if needed, and more;
A high heat trigger with a heat index of 90°F. Requirements for employers include giving workers a minimum 15-minute paid rest break at least every two hours, warning signs for excessively high heat areas, and more;
Two different options for acclimatization procedures for new or returning workers; and
Additional recordkeeping requirements.
Additionally, workers who are exposed to high temperatures in short duration (i.e., workers who are not exposed to temperatures at or above the initial heat trigger for more than 15 minutes in any 60-minute period), indoor “sedentary” work or work activities performed in indoor work areas or vehicles where air-conditioning consistently keeps the ambient temperature below 80°F, work performed at home or at another remote location, and emergency response workers are exempt from the requirements in the standard.

OSHA is allowing the public to submit feedback in response to the proposal 120 days after its official publication. NAHB is reviewing the proposed rule to analyze its full impact on residential construction and will submit comments in response. If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback on the proposed standard, contact Brad Mannion at bmannion@nahb.org.

NAHB will continue to provide updates on the standard throughout the rulemaking process. To keep your workers safe on the jobsite, see NAHB resources on heat safety, including the Heat Stress video toolbox talk.

Susan Harwood Training Grant Program – Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcements

Good Morning,

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced the availability of funding for Susan Harwood Training Grant Program grants. Applicants must register with grants.gov to apply for a grant opportunity. Submit applications at www.grants.gov by July 26, 2024.

OSHA’s Susan Harwood Training Grant Program includes funding opportunities for Targeted Topic Training, Training and Educational Materials Development, and new Capacity Building training grants for nonprofit organizations and state and local government supported institutions of higher education.

For more information, see the Federal Register Notice and the Susan Harwood Training Grants webpage, which includes links to two recorded webinars on preparing competitive Susan Harwood Grant applications.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/06/26/2024-13934/susan-harwood-training-grant-program-fy-2024-availability-of-funds-and-funding-opportunity
Please share this with your stakeholders, as appropriate.

Doug Kalinowski
Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs

Coast Seawall Dock & Boatlifts

Coast Seawall Dock & Boatlifts is a fully licensed and insured, family Marine Construction company based in Jupiter, Florida. We service both Palm Beach and Martin County. Our owner, Mike Duncan, has been a licensed Marine Contractor since 1979 with over 45 years of experience. Coast Seawall Dock & Boatlift’s scope of work includes seawalls, docks, boat lifts, rock revetments, dredging, and more.

Hurricane Preparation provided by Golden Marine Systems

PDF to download: https://goldenmarinesystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Marina-Hurricane-Prep.pdf

Marina Preparation for a hurricane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLtOiHdmzSY

For more information: https://goldenmarinesystems.com/resources/

SB 1142 – signed into law by Governor

Dear Membership,

The CILB has had a challenge in creating new state license’s, test and overall obligation that was assigned to them by Legislature to correct the unintended consequences of HB 735. As a result SB 1142 has been approved & signed into law extending HB 735’s date and CILB’s obligations to July 1, 2025. This is party due to the fact that the CILB is unable to process grandfathering of Local Licenses in time for the July 1, 2024 expiration for some local specialty licenses.

Please reach out to your local licensing department, if they are one of the departments that were allowing licenses to expire and request that they extend their local licenses to July 1, 2025 based on the signing of SB 1142.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/01142

Your association is working hard to protect your ability to continue working. This is further proof that we, the Florida Marine Contractor’s Association Board are pressing forward to rectify the licensing issues created by HB 735.

Your support has never been needed more. Please consider donating to the Save a Dock fund in order to help offset our lobbyist cost.

Thank you,
Kelly White
Executive Director