DES PLAINES, Ill. — While it might be cooler outdoors now, for most drycleaning operators, dealing with heat in the plant is an unavoidable part of the business. Pressing equipment, boilers, and the physical demands of the work create challenging conditions that employees have learned to manage over the years.
But new laws could soon tell small-business owners what those heat management practices need to look like, and dry cleaners should start preparing now rather than waiting until the regulations become official.
“Even though there are several months, probably, until the bill is passed, those policies and practices take time to develop,” says Katelyn Kratz, co-executive director of the Heartland Fabricare Association (HFA) and a consultant with Safety and Environmental Compliance Consultants. She presented this information during a recent Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) webinar, “Staying Cool Under Pressure: Heat-Stress Prevention for Drycleaners.”
The proposed law from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), called the “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings” bill, has been in development for several years. A similar version was introduced in 2021, but didn’t pass. The public comment period for this bill ended in October, and industry experts expect a final decision by late 2025 or early 2026. If the bill is passed, businesses would have up to 150 days to implement its requirements.
“We want to make sure that you are starting to budget now for any of the things that may be a little more costly, or some of the more costly practices you want to put in place,” Kratz says.
Danger in Overheating
Heat is certainly a factor that needs to be addressed in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 45 heat-related workplace deaths per year were reported between 2020 and 2022. While there are existing protections in some areas of the country, Kratz says, they’re often guidance rather than law.
Because of this, OSHA has said it wants a clear, enforceable standard, backed by scientific data. This new law would include employers offering rest breaks, shade, water, and training to reduce heat illness.
One of the most common heat-related illnesses is heatstroke, which occurs when the body can’t get rid of enough excessive heat to maintain normal body temperature. This causes an elevated core body temperature that can cause nervous system issues that can manifest as irrational behavior, confusion, coma or convulsions. Heatstroke can also cause damage to multiple organs, including the kidneys, liver, heart, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract and circulatory system.
“Heatstroke is a serious medical emergency that requires immediate rest, cooling and usually hospitalization,” Kratz says. National data shows that nearly 55% of emergency department visits for heatstroke require hospitalization. That can mean single to multi-day hospital stays, followed by weeks away from work. When employees are able to return to work, they need to be careful because they are now more susceptible to heatstroke going forward.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion — which will lead to heatstroke if not stopped — can typically include increased sweating, changes in mental status, dizziness, nausea, headache, irritability, weakness, decreased urine output, and elevated core body temperature.
“When employees experience anything like heat stress or heat exhaustion, that leads to things like time off of work or resources that you’re also having to pay out,” Kratz says. “It can lead to workers’ compensation claims. So, keeping employees safe is really the key ingredient here.”
The Reason for Action
The business case for heat safety is clear, Kratz says: Preventing heat-related illness costs far less than dealing with hospitalization, workers’ comp claims, lost productivity, and the need to train replacement staff. Beyond the financial considerations, there’s a fundamental responsibility to protect the people who make drycleaning operations run.
“We want to make sure we save lives and also look out for our businesses,” she says.
And the winter could be the best time to prepare for the legislation to come, because cooler months make for an easier, more budget-friendly transition when warmer weather hits.
“You want to make sure that it’s easier to implement that now than when you’re hitting 110 and you’re rushing to try to take care of your employees,” she says.
Come back Thursday for part 2 of this series, where we’ll break down the specific requirements at different temperature thresholds and explore affordable cooling solutions that won’t break your budget.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
