Labor and Employment - Occupational Safety and Health - Revisions to Heat Stress Standards

SB 804 requires most Maryland employers with employees working in conditions of 80°F or higher (both indoors and outdoors) to create and maintain heat illness prevention plans. These plans must include provisions for providing sufficient shade, water, and rest opportunities; training workers to recognize and respond to heat-related illness; and implementing acclimatization procedures for new employees. Employers must monitor temperatures and establish emergency response protocols when heat thresholds are exceeded, with specific requirements for hydration, rest breaks, and symptom recognition. The law excludes certain emergency operations, short incidental exposures, and workspaces with mechanical cooling below 80°F.