Heat Illness and Injury Prevention Ordinance
Heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related fatalities. For workers, the impact of excessive heat can be deadly. Every year, dozens of workers die, and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions.
The City of Boston passed an Ordinance to Protect Workers from Heat Illness and Injury to provide certain protections for City of Boston employees and employees working under City of Boston contracts, leases, and licenses. Beginning August 1, 2026, Covered Contractors and Subcontractors whose employees perform work in a setting at risk of causing heat illnesses and injuries must submit a Heat Illness Prevention Plan Affidavit when responding to bids, proposals, written quotes, or requests for qualifications for contracts, leases, or licenses.
What is a Heat Illness Prevention Plan Affidavit?
Under the Ordinance, the affidavit certifies:
- The Contractor will prepare, before any work begins, a project-specific Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP) that defines planned heat protections.
- The HIPP will be made available to the City upon request.
- The HIPP will be accessible to each employee in a language they understand.
- The Contractor and any Subcontractor(s) will make available to their employees information provided by the City on the Ordinance and how to submit a complaint should employees feel they are not receiving the required protections.
- The HIPP will be incorporated in all subcontracts, subleases, sublicenses, and other third-party agreements with any third party engaged to perform labor or services in connection with the project. It is the obligation of the Contractor to ensure compliance with all provisions above by its Subcontractor(s).
What is a Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP)?
A Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP) is a written plan that details employee training, access to rest, water, and shade, acclimatization (time to adapt to working in hot conditions), and emergency procedures to prevent heat illness and injury like heat exhaustion and stroke.
According to the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings rule proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, key components of a Heat Illness Prevention Plan are:
- Site-Specific Procedures: Tailored methods for identifying, evaluating, and controlling heat hazards (e.g., shade, ventilation, air conditioning).
- A Heat Safety Coordinator: A designated person on-site to oversee compliance.
- A Monitoring Method: Documentation of how the employer will track heat indices, including on-site measurements.
- An Emergency Response Plan: Detailed procedures for responding to and reporting signs of heat illness.
- An Acclimatization Plan: A strategy to acclimate new or returning employees, such as limiting initial shift times to 20% or 50% exposure to heat.
- Worker Participation: Documentation of how non-managerial employees were involved in developing the plan.
What City of Boston contracts are covered?
- Building and public works construction (M.G.L. c. 149, M.G.L. c. 149A, M.G.L. c. 30, § 30M).
- Landscaping, tree services, grounds cleaning/mowing, and maintenance of outdoor property.
- Outdoor security services, including flaggers.
- Moving services.
- Trash and recycling collection and hauling.
When should heat protections be Implemented?
Basic heat protections defined in an employer's HIPP must be implemented whenever the National Weather Service heat index reaches 80°F (initial trigger), and additional protections defined in the HIPP must be implemented when the National Weather Service heat index reaches 90°F (high heat trigger).
Training and Resources
Training and ResourcesPlease check back for the schedule!
The City of Boston will provide three webinars for covered contractors on heat illness prevention and worker protections before June 30, 2026. The schedule and registration information will be posted here.
In addition, the City of Boston will provide technical assistance from experts in occupational health and safety and worker heat protection to help covered contractors prepare their Heat Illness Prevention Plan. The schedule and registration information will be posted here.
