The New Mexico Environment Department’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau has announced an extension of the timeline for adopting its proposed heat illness and injury rule. This decision aims to facilitate further outreach and stakeholder engagement throughout the summer and fall, ensuring wider participation in the rulemaking process.
The updated timeline includes several key dates: By June 30, the department plans to complete its review of stakeholder feedback from the initial public comment period, which opened on April 1 and closed today. This feedback will be incorporated into a revised proposed rule.
In July and August, the department will host a series of stakeholder roundtables to gather additional data from employers, employees, medical and insurance professionals, and various associations. The proposed rule will continue to be revised based on these discussions. Those interested in participating can contact heatrule.comments@env.nm.gov.
Further revisions are expected in September. By October 1, the department intends to file its amended workplace heat protection rule with the Environmental Improvement Board (EIB). A hearing is scheduled for November to determine whether the rule will pass.
To support this process, NMED is requesting that employers provide information about their policies and procedures for protecting employees from heat illness and injury. They are also seeking historical data on program effectiveness. Additionally, data from medical and insurance providers related to heat illnesses in New Mexico is being solicited.
Since 2023, NMED has collaborated with employers under OSHA's National Emphasis Program to protect workers from heat-related incidents. Over the past three years, they have worked with stakeholders to prepare this proposed rule.
With an expected increase in heat-related incidents over the summer months, employees are encouraged to report such incidents directly to their employer or to the Occupational Health and Safety Bureau at (505) 476-8700. Reports made to the bureau remain anonymous unless otherwise specified by the employee.
Information from this article can be found here.
