Over the past several months, OSHA efforts have accelerated in areas such as heat exposure, ergonomics, workplace violence prevention, and inspection procedures. These developments offer important insight into where workplace safety regulation and enforcement are heading.
Heat Safety
Heat illness has emerged as a regulatory priority. Its inclusion in rulemaking agendas signals the early stages of broader regulatory and enforcement action. Historically, this type of agenda placement has preceded the adoption of new standards and guidance.
Several state OSHA plans are intensifying their focus on heat-related hazards, with Federal OSHA guidance calling for written heat illness prevention plans and protective measures, including access to water, rest, shade, acclimatization protocols, and employee training. While these initiatives are currently only for guidance, enforcement activity increasingly reflects expectations that employers treat heat exposure as a structured program rather than an informal safety concern.
Ergonomics Return!
Ergonomics is reemerging as a priority area through phased regulatory strategies. Instead of broad, one-size-fits-all requirements, some state plans are developing ergonomics rules industry by industry. Early advisory materials emphasize how employers assess ergonomic risks, apply performance-based requirements, and implement program elements across different work environments.
These initiatives use structured timelines with distant deadlines, giving employers visibility into what is coming so they can properly plan.
Workplace Violence Prevention Becoming a Formalized Program
Workplace Violence Prevention is rapidly shifting from high-level mandates to detailed regulatory frameworks. Proposed standards increasingly resemble full compliance programs, with defined requirements for written plans, hazard assessments, employee involvement, incident response, investigations, training, and recordkeeping. At the same time, enforcement agencies are refining penalty structures, inspection strategies, and employee complaint and reporting mechanisms that trigger inspections and investigations.
Enforcement Tools Are Evolving
In addition to adding new safety requirements, many state plans are also changing how safety rules are enforced. These changes include setting clearer deadlines for issuing citations, treating minor paperwork or administrative issues as low-level violations, adjusting the time frame regulators can look back when deciding whether a violation is “repeat,” and tightening the evidence required to support a citation. Together, these updates can affect how inspections are conducted, how cases are challenged, and the overall risk employers face.
What This Means for Employers
Workplace risks such as heat exposure, ergonomics, and workplace violence are being translated into formal requirements with clear expectations for documentation, training, and accountability. At the same time, enforcement frameworks are being refined to cover inspections, citations, and penalties.
For employers, the challenge is no longer just keeping up with changes. It now means understanding how these initiatives affect enforcement priorities, inspections, and potential liability—and adjusting safety programs accordingly. TMC helps employers navigate this complexity by translating regulatory developments into practical guidance and defensible safety strategies.
