A federal heat rule is stalled. The citations for heat aren't.
Seven states already have their own enforceable heat-illness standards, and OSHA can -- and has -- cited heat hazards under the General Duty Clause with or without a dedicated rule.
Where heat enforcement actually stands
States with their own enforceable heat-illness standards
7 -- California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington
[Ogletree Deakins]General Duty Clause citations issued during OSHA's 2022-2024 heat emphasis program
60, alongside roughly 7,000 heat-related inspections and 1,392 hazard alert letters
[Ogletree Deakins]Where Safety Talk TV already matches heat-illness content
Automatically, by state (including CA, NV, and AZ) and by trade -- roofing, paving, landscaping, agriculture, and more
The federal heat injury and illness rule has been stalled since its comment period closed, with no target date for finishing it -- but that doesn't mean heat is unregulated. Seven states already enforce their own heat standards, and OSHA's General Duty Clause gives inspectors citation authority regardless of what happens to the federal rule. During the agency's last dedicated heat program alone, that authority produced 60 citations.
Safety Talk TV already treats heat illness as a hazard to match, not a seasonal afterthought: the topic library is automatically matched by state -- including the states that specifically require it -- and by trade, for crews doing roofing, paving, landscaping, agriculture, and other heat-exposed work. The training is already lined up before the next heat wave is, regardless of which rule is or isn't finalized in Washington.