State health and labor officials hope that new workplace regulations will help workers avoid overheating on the job, as Maryland enters the annual heat season following a deadly 2024 summer.

The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health division of the Department of Labor finalized new heat illness prevention standards in September, at the tail end of a 2024 heat season that saw 27 fatalities and more than 1,200 emergency room visits related to high temperatures.

Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu said there was already “a general duty to protect workers from dangerous conditions, but I think the heat-stress standard provides some really specific guidance to employers.” She said her department has been educating workplaces to get them “up to speed” on the new regulations ahead of the 2025 season.

“We have done a ton of outreach in both public and private sectors — industries like construction, tree care, warehousing, agriculture, restaurants, commercial kitchens, laundries,” Wu said.

Anticipation for the new regulations rose last year following the death of Ronald Silver II, who died Aug. 2 from a heat-related illness while working at his job with the Baltimore City Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Solid Waste.

The new heat stress prevention regulations require workplaces to have plans when the heat index begins to rise to above 90 and 100 degrees.

The new regulations also prompt employers to ensure that workers have ample access to water and cool locations while allowing for frequent break times at high temperatures.

Wu admits that the new regulations are somewhat “common sense,” but said that the regulations ensure employers have an established course of action when temperatures rise this summer.

“I tend to think about it as ‘rest, break, shade, ease-in,’” Wu said.

She noted that the state is emphasizing what’s called “acclimatization,” which is a process to help new employees get used to working in hot conditions for up to the first two weeks of employment.

“People who have been working in hot conditions for days, weeks, months on end, their bodies are more used to it,” Wu said. “Somebody who started yesterday and it’s 95 degrees today … they need some time to get used to it.”

“That’s where we see the accidents happen,” Wu said. “We often have a situation where a supervisor may not be experienced in on-boarding new employees — construction is a good example.”

Acclimatization can also apply to experienced workers when temperatures spike suddenly, she said.

Older people more at risk

Workplace standards can only do so much, since many victims of heat stress may not be on the job – in fact, half of the fatalities from last year were of people aged 65 years and older.

Clifford S. Mitchell, director of the Environmental Health Bureau in the Maryland Department of Health, said that temperatures are trending higher and for longer periods, leaving those who are medically vulnerable more at risk for longer stretches.

“There are earlier hot days, there are more frequent hot days, and there are longer periods of hot days. And more importantly, we are not seeing the same degree of cooling in the evenings that we used to see, because of the greenhouse gas effects,” he said.

“Because recovery time is also important, one of the things that we are seeing now is people who are in hot environments in the day and are not getting relief at night,” he added. “And that is a problem for people who are vulnerable, particularly those who are vulnerable medically.”

The change in federal administrations may also complicate the state’s efforts to reduce heat-related illnesses, as President Donald Trump and his administration reduce the federal workforce at weather-related agencies.

“We rely very, very much on our federal partners in the National Weather Service and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for high-quality forecasting, modeling and ability to understand exactly what is happening,” Mitchell said, noting that accurate forecasts help the health department plan and anticipate periods of extreme heat.

Season already heating up

From a state perspective, he said the Department of Health will be “better prepared through actions like the new MOSH standards for employers,” which will add “structure and guidance for what to do when things are getting hot.”

“That makes it easier for all of us, because there are more people who are following those guidelines,” Mitchell said.

The 2025 heat season runs roughly from May through the end of September. Already, 22 people have landed in emergency rooms or urgent care, according to the health department’s Heat-related Illness Surveillance Report for the week of April 27 through May 3. The department will release weekly updates during the season on Wednesdays.

Ahead of summer, Mitchell urged Marylanders to adhere to standard heat precautions: take frequent breaks, stay hydrated and act quickly if someone starts showing signs of heat illness.

“If you start to feel your heart racing, if you start to get a little confused, anything that doesn’t feel right, you want to get out of the heat as soon as possible,” he said.

He also urged folks to check-in on their neighbors in periods of prolonged heat, and to never leave a child or pet in the car.

“I say it every year, and unfortunately every year we see examples – never, ever leave children or pets in a closed vehicle,” he said. “We see completely preventable deaths in those settings.”

Generally speaking, Mitchell urged that “outdoor workers, student athletes, and everybody” should “take it easy in the heat” this summer.

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: scrane@marylandmatters.org. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and Twitter.