OSHA helps workers, employers beat the heat

Words: Jesse AhernEvery year, dozens of workers are killed by heat, and thousands more experience heat-related illnesses. With summer heat on the rise across the nation, workers and employers are turning to OSHA's Heat Safety Tool for help staying safe in the heat. In all, more than 148,000 users have downloaded this life-saving app since its launch in August 2011.

As temperatures soared well past 100 degrees in Phoenix on July 1, OSHA staff joined representatives from the Phoenix City Council, Clear Channel Outdoor, Lamar Advertising, Christy Signs, the American Society of Safety Engineers, and the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health to promote OSHA’s "Water. Rest. Shade." campaign. Lamar and Clear Channel have posted heat campaign billboards across the country.

In a July 7 article in The Washington Post, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels explained employers' obligation to protect construction crews, road workers, farm workers, trash collectors and others who are working outdoors this summer in high heat – including temporary workers who often are not used to working in heat and need to be acclimated. The Post article highlighted OSHA's interactive map that plots heat-related fatalities among outdoor workers between 2008 and 2013.

For more information and free resources, visit OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention page. To order quantities of OSHA's heat illness educational materials in English or Spanish, call OSHA's Office of Communications at 202-693-1999.
Chemicals In Masonry
September 2026

Mason contractors must deal with chemicals on the job site. One of the main ones comes in the form of dust. Another is acid. From high-rise commercial structures to residential facades, masonry work involves handling raw materials that require careful man

Brick Staining Dos and Don'ts: Managing Modern and Historic Masonry Construction
September 2026

Every mason contractor has encountered it, or will. A replacement brick arrives from a different production run. A cast stone repair patch or perhaps a darker panel stands out against the surrounding installation. Mortar color varies unexpectedly. A clea

Gables Republic Square & Hotel ZaZa
September 2026

Gables Republic Square / Hotel ZaZa is a 24-story mixed-use boutique hotel and urban residential tower with street-level retail located on a 0.75-acre site in downtown Austin. Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd. (CMS) was responsible for the supply and instal

The Utah Masonry Council's Masonry Education Day
September 2026

The 2026 Masonry Education Day at Interstate Brick in West Jordan is bringing together members of Utah’s architecture, engineering, and construction community for a day focused on education, technical understanding, and workforce development. The event r