Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were not protected from the hazard of high ambient heat while performing jobs duties. a) On or about July 28th, 2023, employees were exposed to the hazard of high heat during the performance of their job duties, including unloading 25-pound boxes of rags from inside a truck for approximately 5 hours with little or no break time. On the day of the incident at 12:51 PM, the relative humidity was 48%, the WBGT was 79 degrees F, and the heat index was 94.2 degrees F. The National Weather Service had issued an excessive heat warning forecasting heat index values up to 105 degrees F that day. Employees were exposed to aggravating factors including a high workload level. Such exposures are likely to lead to the development of serious heat-related illnesses such as, but not limited to, heat cramps, heat stress, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. The employee experienced a fatal heat illness.