Summer officially started this weekend, and on construction sites that means the most dangerous season of the year is here. Heat is one of the most underestimated hazards in our industry — and in 2026, the rules around it are in an unusual state of limbo.
The federal heat standard is stalled
OSHA proposed a national heat injury and illness prevention standard in August 2024 — a rule that would have required written heat plans, water and shade, rest breaks at high temperatures, and acclimatization protocols for new workers. Public comments closed in January 2025, but the rule has stalled: the current regulatory agenda lists no target date for final action. On top of that, OSHA's National Emphasis Program on heat — which drove roughly 7,000 heat-related inspections since 2022 — expired this April without renewal.
That doesn't mean heat safety is optional
Two things are still true. First, OSHA can and does cite employers for heat hazards under the General Duty Clause, which requires a workplace free of recognized hazards — no standard needed. Second, several states, including California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, enforce their own heat illness prevention rules. For contractors working across state lines — including firms like ours with work in the Southwest — the practical answer is to build one strong heat program and run it everywhere.
What a real heat program looks like
Ours comes down to fundamentals executed consistently: cool water and shaded break areas on every site, scheduled rest periods that scale with the heat index, heavy work shifted to mornings when temperatures spike, and acclimatization for new and returning workers — who account for a disproportionate share of heat illness. Just as important, our supervisors are trained to spot the early signs of heat exhaustion, because on a jobsite the first responder is almost always a coworker.
Our take
We didn't build our safety record by waiting for regulations to tell us what to do, and we're not going to start now. A worker protected from heat is more alert, more productive, and goes home healthy — that's the whole point. If you want to know how safety planning fits into your next project, we'd be glad to walk you through it.