Oregon Worker Heat, Wildfire Smoke Rules Challenged in Lawsuit

A coalition of Oregon business groups is challenging the state workplace safety agency’s new worker heat stress and wildfire smoke protection rules, arguing they’re too vague for employers to be able to comply.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, asks the US District Court for the District of Oregon to issue a temporary restraining order preventing implementation of the rules while the court considers whether to block their enforcement permanently.

The case could serve as a template for groups seeking to overturn other states’ heat and wildfire smoke protective measures, such as those in California and Washington.

The federal Occupational ...