Oregon OSHA heat rule 80 degrees
OAR 437-002-0156 from heat index 80 F: water, shade, written plan, and the rest table through 105 F.
Oregon works off heat index rather than plain temperature, and it is one of the few states that puts paid rest minutes in a table. At heat index 80 F you owe water, a shaded or cooled rest area, and a written plan. From 90 F upward the rest schedule steps up in defined increments, ending at 40 minutes of rest per hour at 105 F. The table is one of three ways to comply, and picking the wrong one is more common than missing the numbers.
Takeaways
- Read a heat index off a log and say how many paid rest minutes are owed in that hour.
- Choose between the simplified table, an employer-designed schedule, and the NIOSH approach.
- Know why Oregon needs a heat index rather than the temperature alone.
- Recognize the emergency medical and acclimatization duties that sit alongside the table.
What starts at heat index 80 F
The simplified rest break table
The table is one of three options
Symptom monitoring and emergency response
Frequently asked questions
- Are the rest breaks paid? Yes. Cool-down rest periods under the Oregon heat rule are paid time and count as time worked. They are in addition to required meal periods.
- Does the rule apply indoors? Yes. Oregon applies the heat rule to both indoor and outdoor work where the heat index reaches 80 F, including vehicles without working air conditioning.
- What if the heat index crosses 95 F halfway through the hour? The schedule applies to the conditions the crew is working in. When the heat index rises into a higher tier, move to that tier rather than finishing the hour on the old one. Log the second reading so the record shows why the schedule changed.
- Can I use the NIOSH method for some crews and the table for others? Yes, as long as each crew is covered by a documented method and the crew and supervisors know which one applies to them.