This April, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) renewed and updated its national heat emphasis program (NEP) for heat-related hazards. The renewed program will be in place for five years and continues the original program from 2022.
Local public entities should be aware of the program’s three main directives, which are enforced by the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Program (VOSH).
1) Requires employees to be protected on “Heat Priority Days” where the heat index is expected to be 80 degrees Fahrenheit or more.
2) On designated Heat Priority Days, the program allows VOSH inspections to be targeted based on hazards in plain view.
3) The program requires the compliance officer to request the entity’s written heat illness or heat injury program covering the required employee protections of a high-heat workplace.
Failure to have a program in place could result in a citation from VOSH.
About the update
The update largely renews the original program, as well as escalates and focuses inspections and outreach in industries and workplaces where heat stress risks are most likely to occur.
Targeted enforcement in high-risk industries: OSHA is focusing inspections on 55 industries identified through recent injury, illness, and citation data.- Expanded inspections on “heat priority days”: When the National Weather Service issues heat advisories or warnings, VOSH will initiate random inspections and broaden existing ones where hazards are present.
- Stronger inspection and citation guidance: The revised NEP provides more defined evaluation criteria and enhanced appendices, giving compliance officers clearer direction—and less flexibility—when assessing heat safety programs.
- Data-driven enforcement: OSHA is leveraging data from 2022–2025 to concentrate efforts where heat-related risks are most severe.
VRSA services
Additionally, as part of VRSA’s commitment to service, we have developed a module to guide members through this program. The module includes an introductory video, a sample written program, and OSHA program documentation.
If you need assistance with creating a program, contact your VRSA safety consultant at 800-963-6800.