States in the South, Midwest, and on the West Coast experienced extreme heat in the last two weeks of August 2026, highlighting the need for employers to comply with the federal Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act and state laws regarding heat illness prevention in the workplace.
Quick Hits
Extreme heat hit at least ten states during the last two weeks of August 2026.
Employers are legally obligated to provide a workplace free of hazards that could cause serious harm or death, including heat hazards.
A growing number of states have adopted heat illness prevention laws.
Parts of Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee experienced temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the last weeks of summer. As a result, parts of those states were under heat advisories, according to the National Weather Service.
Federal and State Action
Federal law does not have a permanent heat illness prevention standard, but employers… Read the complete article here...
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