In 2025, Delaware Consultation (SafeDE Consultation) partnered with environmental studies/science and meteorology students from the University of Delaware on their capstone project aiming to raise awareness of extreme heat and preventing heat-related illnesses across Delaware.

Recognizing the growing risks associated with excessive heat exposure, the students developed a statewide awareness campaign seeking support for their proposal to establish Delaware’s first Heat Awareness Week.

Their efforts lead the governor to issue a proclamation designating May 18-22nd Delaware’s first Heat Awareness Week. The week kicked off on May 18th with an event highlighting the dangers of extreme heat and its impact on Delaware communities. Presenters shared heat-related data and emphasized the serious health risks associated with high temperatures, including the fact that heat is a leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States, according to the National Weather Service.

SafeDE participated in this kick-off event and emphasized worker safety and the importance of providing heat safety training in a language and vocabulary workers understand and urged workers to carry heat-safety practices beyond the workday.

Each day focused on a different theme, including the risks extreme heat poses to vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and outdoor workers.

SafeDE also expanded its heat-safety outreach through social media, reinforcing a simple and important prevention message: WATER. REST. SHADE. The success of this effort provided a foundation for future heat illness prevention initiatives and reflects Delaware’s commitment to protecting workers and communities through outreach, education, and collaboration.

Learn more: University of Delaware, Delaware Heat Awareness Week
https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2026/may/delaware-heat-awareness-week-temperature-weather-hot-climate/

The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small and medium-sized businesses in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards and how to fix them, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, train and educate workers, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs. On-Site Consultation services are separate from OSHA enforcement efforts. To locate the OSHA On-Site Consultation program nearest you, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or visit www.osha.gov/consultation.