NAPA heat illness prevention plan offers common sense approach after OSHA standard renewal
A version of this story appears in the Summer 2026 issue of NAPA Quarterly.
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Heat exposure considerations return to the forefront of safety discussions each summer, especially since 2022 when the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration issued its National Emphasis Program for Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards.
As OSHA continued struggling to develop a national Heat Standard, in March, fifteen Republican senators, including gastroenterologist Bill Cassidy (R-LA), sent a letter to the agency questioning a one-size-fits-all approach to heat-related workplace standards
“Protecting workers from a common and easily understandable workplace hazard does not require a prescriptive rule that will cause confusion and, in several circumstances, may even undermine worker safety,” the letter states. “Workers and businesses thrive when there are clear standards that are flexible, understandable, and pragmatic.”
In April, OSHA updated its NEP, effective immediately for a period of five years.
“The revised emphasis program removes outdated background information, updates links, and eliminates the former numerical inspection goal and introduces two reorganized appendices, one for evaluating heat programs and another for citation guidance,” a release from OSHA reads. “The update also includes clearer guidance that will improve tracking and more effectively implement the program’s enforcement and outreach efforts.”
NAPA’s Heat Illness Prevention Plan, developed through a partnership between NAPA and ARTBA members, provides a simple, NEP-compliant approach for road materials and construction companies to safeguard against heat illnesses. Resources at AsphaltPavement.org allow companies to create their own heat illness prevention program.
