Task Force Recommends Heat Guidelines to Protect Workers in Arizona

New recommendations by a special task force focused on protecting workers in Arizona from heat-related risks discuss written heat illness prevention plans, acclimatization plans and procedures, and access to water, shade, and rest. The recommendations, issued on Dec. 31, stem from an executive order by Gov. Katie Hobbs, which directed the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH)—part of the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA)—to form a task force to recommend heat guidelines for employers by the end of 2025. The recommendations are not yet standards. They are set to be reviewed by the ADOSH Advisory Committee during a meeting on Feb. 4, and then they must be considered and approved by the ICA before being implemented. According to an FAQ about the task force (PDF), Hobbs’ administration intends to have the guidelines in place before this summer.

If the ICA adopts heat guidelines, Arizona would join only a handful of states, including California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington, with standards for heat exposure. According to a September 2025 news release, federal OSHA “is continuing to examine” a possible rule related to prevention of heat-related injury and illness. But no further planned actions related to the heat rulemaking are listed in the Department of Labor’s regulatory agenda, which was last updated for spring 2025.

The Arizona task force recommendations are available as a PDF from the ICA website. Further details can be found in a news release from the governor’s office.