Congressman Questions Labor Secretary on Proposed National Heat Standard

Concerns Over National Heat Standard

• 🗣️ Congressman Mark Messmer (R-IN) questioned Secretary of Labor Chavez-DeRemer regarding the proposed national heat standard.
• 🏢 Messmer, with 36 years of experience in the construction industry, stated his family business never had a heat-related employee incident.
• ⚠️ He believes the proposed rule is an onerous one-size-fits-all program that fails to account for geographic variability, exertion levels, and indoor/outdoor environments.

Secretary's Response and OSHA's Role

• 🤝 Secretary Chavez-DeRemer agreed that a one-size-fits-all program typically does not work.
• ✅ She affirmed that current OSHA rules require water accessibility and allow for breaks, aiming to keep workers safe.
• ⚖️ The Department of Labor's goal is to protect American workers while ensuring compliance and working with stakeholders, including businesses, during the rule-making process.
• 💬 The Secretary committed to working with Congressman Messmer and other committee members as the issue progresses through public hearings and rule-making.