Addressing the Hidden Indoor Heat Risk: Urgent Need for Workplace Protections

Indoor heat exposure is emerging as a significant health concern for workers in the service sector, according to a recent report. Authored by Hana Shepherd, an associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and a senior researcher with the Workplace Justice Lab@RU, the study highlights the prevalence of dangerously high indoor temperatures endured by employees during summer months.

The report, a collaborative effort by the Shift Project—a joint initiative of Harvard Kennedy School's Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy and the University of California, San Francisco—analyzed data from 3,514 workers across various service industries in the United States. The findings reveal widespread reports of indoor workers feeling overheated, with many experiencing temperatures exceeding 80°F, often with limited means to reduce their heat exposure.

Shepherd emphasized that while some might expect heat issues primarily among outdoor workers or those in kitchen environments, the data indicates that millions of indoor service workers face similar or even greater risks. Notably, 65% of retail and food service workers reported feeling uncomfortably hot, with 36% experiencing heat discomfort frequently or constantly.

Many workers reported experiencing heat-related symptoms; 37% suffered headaches, 34% fatigue, and 24% nausea related to heat in the past year. Warehousing staff (63%), fast-food employees (58%), and restaurant workers (52%) had the highest exposure rates.

Despite these risks, current regulations are insufficient. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed a standard that considers 80°F as the threshold for heat exposure, a level already surpassed by nearly half of the surveyed workers. In states like New Jersey, there is no specific heat standard, although proposed legislation aims to address this gap.

The report underscores the need to recognize all sectors affected by indoor heat exposure, which extends beyond outdoor workers and kitchen staff. It advocates for comprehensive federal and state regulations to establish and enforce standards that better assess and mitigate indoor heat risks.

As the climate continues to warm, the report calls for immediate action to improve protections for indoor service sector workers, emphasizing that current patchwork policies and enforcement gaps leave many vulnerable to heat-related health issues.

For more details, the full report is available at: shift.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Heat_Report_Final.pdf. Source: Rutgers University, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-hidden-crisis-urgent-workplace-indoors.html