Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, FEDERAL LEGISLATION—Republican senators introduce bill to block OSHA heat injury standard, (Apr 30, 2026)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

The legislation would bar the Labor Department from finalizing or enforcing a pending workplace rule addressing heat exposure.

A group of Republican senators has introduced legislation that would prevent the Department of Labor (DOL) from moving forward with a proposed federal standard on heat-related workplace injuries and illnesses. The bill targets an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposal published in 2024 covering both indoor and outdoor work settings. Supporters characterize the measure as a response to what they describe as overly prescriptive regulatory requirements. The introduction of the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2026 places the future of federal heat-related workplace regulation before Congress, where lawmakers will consider whether to limit the DOL’s role in setting nationwide standards addressing employee exposure to high temperatures.

The proposed legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), with Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) as a lead cosponsor, joined by Sens. Tommy Tuberville, Mike Crapo, Ted Budd, Steve Daines, Tim Sheehy, and John Cornyn. The legislation was read twice and referred to the appropriate Senate committee.

Objections to OSHA proposed rule. Under the bill’s operative provision, the Secretary of Labor would be prohibited from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing OSHA’s proposed rule titled “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.” The restriction would also apply to “any substantially similar standard,” extending beyond the specific proposal identified by title and Federal Register citation.

The bill includes a set of congressional findings outlining objections to the OSHA proposal. Lawmakers state that the proposed standard, published Aug. 30, 2024, is “overly prescriptive, burdensome to businesses, and confusing for workers.” The findings specify concerns with requirements such as high-heat triggers, mandated rest breaks, detailed acclimatization protocols, and highly specific written safety plans. According to the text, the legislation asserts that using detailed, prescriptive requirements to address heat injury and illness would make the proposed standard “unworkable.” The findings further contend that applying the same regulatory framework across indoor and outdoor environments, all industries, and all geographic regions—without accounting for differing conditions—would generate confusion and undermine worker safety.

Restriction of agency action. The bill does not create an alternative federal heat standard or direct OSHA to adopt a different regulatory approach. Instead, it focuses solely on restricting agency action with respect to the identified proposal and similar efforts. The measure would leave existing workplace safety requirements unchanged while preventing OSHA from advancing the heat-specific rulemaking referenced in the findings.

Timing, scope. As drafted, the legislation applies prospectively and does not address enforcement actions taken before enactment. Its scope is limited to standards related to heat injury and illness prevention, and it does not modify OSHA’s general authority under the Occupational Safety and Health Act beyond the specified prohibition.

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