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Until OSHA publishes a new heat standard, contractors should follow the agency’s guidance regarding how to prevent heat illness and death on their jobsites, according to industry experts. This guidance — basically rest, water and shade — will likely be enhanced by the new standard. In the meantime, however, OSHA initiated a national emphasis program (NEP) back in April that is intended to protect employees from heat-related hazards and injuries. It is believed that even under the NEP, contractors that have heat illness incidents will continue to be liable under the agency’s general duty clause. The general duty clause, or section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act of 1970 — which established OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health — states that places of employment must be “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” It’s often used in cases concerning combustible dust, struck-bys, workplace violence, ergonomics issues or infectious diseases. According to attorneys, OSHA inspectors can use the clause to cite construction employers across multiple categories where other, prescriptive, outlined standards don’t apply. Click here to read more from ConstructionDive.com.