Integrity Safety Owner Joel Viezcas started his company three years ago. He is a safety consultant for contractors developing safety plans for potential workplace hazards, such as heat.
He said he has seen the dangers extreme heat can pose for workers exposed to high temperatures.
"We have seen illnesses, stress, and even some strokes, which can easily lead to death," Viezcas said. "(Employees) deplete themselves from the minerals, the vitamins, all the electrolytes that we need to function. Because it's constant sweat, it's constant movement, it's constant lifting."
Viezcas said when it comes to heat safety, they consider everything from creating a worksite safety culture to providing temporary HVAC systems.
"I just think we just have to continue to fight for the worker. They're the ones out there every day exposed to the heat or other hazards," Viezcas said.
Over the past seven years, the CDC reported 23.1 heat-related deaths in Oklahoma. But NPR conducted a two-year nationwide investigation, which indicated the state's true number of heat-related deaths to be 89.4 — over three times what the CDC reported.
Oklahoma is one of 23 states that do not have a state law regulating heat safety standards in either the public or private sectors. Instead, the state relies solely on the federal government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for heat safety standards.
OSHA has provided a nationwide "recommended standard," but there are no rules mandating it, and it has not been updated in a decade.
"Every job site is going to dictate some type of rule or law. And although OSHA does (provide a standard), it's the minimum amount of safety required," Viezcas said. "But every job site can have a law, and if you're implementing that, that kind of becomes the law that you have to follow."
Under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational and Health Act of 1970, employers must provide a place of employment that "is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees." The OSHA website states the clause includes some heat-related hazards.
Forrest Bennett is a former state lawmaker and the current president of Oklahoma AFL-CIO — a federation of local labor unions. He said those broad definitions and expectations are "a playground" for attorneys.
"It's written in such a way that anybody can kind of mold it to say what they need it to say," Bennett said. "That overly vague definition, when the statutes regarding OSHA say you must prove reasonable protections if possible, the wording is such that I think a person can justify any degree of preparation or mitigation or lack thereof."
Pointing out that needs vary by region, Bennett said states need to have more specific laws for heat safety.
"Michigan and Minnesota do not need the same heat standard laws that Oklahoma does, but they need cold standard laws that we don't have," Bennett said. "You're not going to see a road crew working overnight in November or December on a road project up north, but that's a common practice here in Oklahoma, so that people can avoid the heat."
In August of 2024, OSHA published a rulemaking proposal that would require employers to develop a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplaces, as well as clarify employer obligations. A public hearing was held in July of 2025, but the proposed rule is currently stalled.
While Oklahoma employers may not be required to teach heat safety standards to their employees, Bennett said there are alternative ways for workers to receive the training. He said unions are one way to do that, but not the only way.
"Anybody who wants to work in the construction trades needs to make sure that they're educating themselves," Bennett said. "Oftentimes, I think people will find that there is no one advocating for them on the worksite, and that they are their own best advocate."
Viezcas said there are other common barriers to safety on job sites, including language barriers and changing overall mindsets about workplace safety.
"Maybe some companies don't even know that they have access to companies like mine or other resources online that they can use," Viezcas said. "I think the information is there. Safety doesn't change much (...) the concept of safety, the information from safety. How does it go from knowledge into part of who we are?"
According to Bennett, there have been at least two related attempts to codify best practices at the state level, but neither bill was passed into law. One of those measures was House Bill 4084, which would have required employers to provide heat safety training to employees in a language they understand.
"I don't mean to suggest that there's rampant disregard for safety standards in Oklahoma, but oftentimes people who've never been on the worksite can't fully appreciate how hot it can be," Bennett said.
OKC bond package construction projects
Last October, Oklahoma City voters approved a $2.7 million bond package. The bond package includes 547 projects, 433 of which are city streets, bridges and traffic improvements.
Many residents are excited about the projects, and Oklahoma City's interactive map shows the ongoing progress, including timelines and budget usage. However, heightened construction could mean higher risk for workers.
"For example, hypothetically, theoretically, they want an NBA basketball arena to be done before, say, a theoretical Olympic event happens in a city that no one expected to have it in, and they want this thing done," Bennett said. "There are inherent challenges to the construction workforce in those projects when that happens, because invariably, it means that you're going to be working those crews harder."
The Oklahoma Department of Labor has released safety warnings multiple times throughout the year, urging state residents to take precautions in extreme temperatures.
"Outdoor workers, construction crews, agricultural workers, and those working in hot indoor environments — such as warehouses or manufacturing facilities — are at the highest risk. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures, combined with physical labor, can quickly lead to serious health issues," one release said.
The state also consistently warns people to protect themselves and others by drinking cool water frequently, taking rest breaks, checking on coworkers and having an emergency plan.
"It is basically people self-educating themselves and sharing the information," Bennett said. "Sometimes, these things are being built in October and November, and it doesn't really matter. But in the heat of the summer or early fall that we're in now, it can be an issue."
September started with record-breaking heat, but forecasts of rain and cooler temperatures show relief could finally be on its way next week.
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