NJ Labor Department reminds employers to protect workers from heat-related illnesses
NEW JERSEY — The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is reminding employers to take steps to protect public employees from heat-related illnesses while working in high-temperature conditions.
The department’s Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) recently highlighted Safety Alert No. 41, which provides guidance on recognizing heat hazards and preventing heat-related illnesses among employees who work outdoors or in hot environments.
The guidance applies to public employees such as firefighters, public works employees, sanitation workers, public safety academy recruits and instructors, and others whose jobs may expose them to dangerous heat.
“Ensuring the health and safety of workers exposed to extreme temperatures is paramount,” said Acting Labor Commissioner Kevin D. Jarvis. “The goal of this Safety Alert is to provide employers with the knowledge and tools needed to prevent heat-related illnesses and protect their workforce.”
According to the department, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to heat stress, heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke. Symptoms can range from fatigue and muscle cramps to confusion, unconsciousness and, in severe cases, death.
The Safety Alert reinforces requirements under the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Act’s General Duty Clause, which requires employers to provide public employees with a workplace free of recognized hazards likely to cause serious injury or death.
Among its recommendations, the department encourages employers to monitor heat conditions using the heat index and other measurement tools, adjust work schedules when possible, provide workers with regular breaks, drinking water and access to shade, and train employees to recognize the signs of heat-related illness and respond quickly.
The Labor Department also encourages residents and workers to use the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Heat Hub NJ website to locate nearby cooling centers when needed.
Additional information, including PEOSH Safety Alert No. 41, is available through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
