FMI Files Industry Comments on OSHA Heat Proposed Rule

Arlington, VA - FMI - The Food Industry Association filed a comment letterthis week with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on its proposed rule to establish a federal standard to address heat exposure in workplaces. Comments on the proposed rule were also filed by two coalitions of which FMI is a member.

"One of the top priorities of FMI and its member companies is the safety and health of employees and customers. The food industry already implements safety measures pertaining to temperatures in various workplace settings. While FMI understands the goal of the proposed rule, we remain concerned about the inflexible and burdensome nature of the rulemaking," noted Christine Pollack, FMI vice president, government relations.

Specifically, OSHA's Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings proposed rule mandates employer requirements for addressing workplace environments, both indoor and outdoor, when the temperature rises above two thresholds - 80 degrees and 90 degrees.

"The safety of employees in every facet of the grocery supply chain - from production line, to warehousing, to front and back of store operations - and our customers who shop in our retail locations is paramount. FMI is hopeful that OSHA will judiciously consider our comments on how the proposed rule, as written, has the potential to increase complexities and costs throughout the supply chain without corresponding benefits to workplace safety," continued Pollack.

The FMI letter to OSHA is linked here. FMI is also a member of both the Employers Heat Illness Prevention Rulemaking Coalition and the Coalition for Workplace Safety and aligned itself with comments filed by these two organizations.