As Planet Warms, Advocates Urge U.S. To Set Rules To Protect Workers From Heat August 27, 20183:36 P

[Judi Lynn]

August 27, 20183:36 PM ET

Two years ago, James Klenk of Freehold, N.J. suffered a heat stroke and went into renal failure after several days sorting and unloading heavy boxes in the back of a UPS truck. He had been a driver for UPS for 14 years and almost died that day.

Klenk is one of countless workers across the country enduring symptoms of heat stress. High temperatures can pose health threats on a daily basis, including confusion, fatigue, and dehydration. More extreme heat can lead to heat stroke and organ failure, depending on a worker's environment and how quickly treatment is administered.

In 1972, and again in 1986, and in 2016, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set a specific standard to prevent heat stress in workers and hold employers accountable. OSHA, however, has yet to do so.

While OSHA currently offers guidelines and endorses NIOSH's criteria for a recommended standard, it has no enforceable rules specifically requiring employers to provide water, rest, shade, acclimatization programs, or training to recognize symptoms of serious heat illness.

More:
https://www.npr.org/2018/08/27/642237217/as-planet-warms-advocates-urge-u-s-to-set-rules-to-protect-workers-from-heat