Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health agency released a temporary emergency rule Thursday meant to protect workers from sweltering heat.
The rule comes after public outcry following the heat-related death of a worker at a nursery and farm 30 miles south of St. Paul.
“The unprecedented weather has highlighted the immediate risks, making it necessary to adopt a temporary rule while the permanent rulemaking process continues,” an Oregon OSH news release Thursday states.
The temporary rule’s provisions require employers to provide shade and drinking water to workers when the temperature in the work area equals or exceeds 80 °F. And by ...