Summer heat is more than a comfort issue on the cabinet shop floor — it's a safety issue with potential consequences for workers standing at hang lines, running finishing operations, or working near ovens and dryers in poorly ventilated spaces. At the June 17 meeting of the KCMA Safety Subcommittee, Tiffany Smith of Crystal Cabinet Works led a wide-ranging discussion on heat stress prevention and management, sharing how her facility — and others across the membership — are adapting to rising temperatures and, in some states, binding regulatory requirements. What follows is a summary of that conversation.
Summarized from the Heat Stress Discussion led by Tiffany Smith
Monitoring: Wet Bulb Temperature and Heat Index
Not every state regulates heat, and that variation matters for plant operators. Minnesota, for example, requires employers to evaluate indoor heat stress using both Wet Bulb Temperature (WB) and Heat Index (HI) measurements — a dual-metric approach that accounts for both direct heat and the added physiological load of humidity.
At Crystal Cabinet Works, heat stress protocols begin at approximately:
- 80°F Wet Bulb Temperature
- 92°F Heat Index
Readings are taken throughout the day, starting in the morning, and extended weather forecasts are reviewed in advance so supervisors can anticipate high-heat conditions rather than react to them after the fact.
Training Employees to Spot the Warning Signs
Equipment alone doesn't prevent heat illness — recognition does. Members described a training approach built around several layers:
- Symptom recognition training: employees are taught to identify the early signs of heat-related illness in themselves and coworkers, rather than waiting for a supervisor to notice.
- Hydration awareness materials: urine color charts posted in restrooms give employees a simple, private way to gauge their own hydration status throughout a shift.
- Trained first responder teams: designated employees are prepared to respond specifically to heat-related illness, not just general first aid.
Responding When Symptoms Appear
When an employee shows signs of heat illness, speed matters. The response procedures discussed include:
- Moving the affected employee to a cool area immediately and providing appropriate care.
- Keeping wheelchairs on hand to safely transport an employee who cannot walk unassisted.
- Encouraging supervisors and coworkers to intervene promptly rather than wait and see — early action prevents minor symptoms from becoming medical emergencies.
Heat Mitigation Measures That Work
Beyond monitoring and training, members shared practical, low-cost steps that reduce heat exposure across a shift:
- Scheduled breaks every two hours during elevated heat conditions.
- Ice pops and cold beverages provided on the floor.
- Moving employees into air-conditioned areas during breaks.
- Cooling towels and portable fans available at workstations.
- Electrolyte supplements added to drinking water.
Two examples stood out. Martha Koch noted that Bellmont Cabinet Co. provides complimentary ice and soft drink stations throughout the facility during hot weather. Dan Mains shared that Kountry Wood Products places electrolyte packets next to water stations, making it easy for employees to rehydrate without a separate trip.
Facility Design Shapes the Problem
Heat stress isn't only a personnel issue — the building itself plays a role. The committee discussed several facility factors that drive indoor temperatures up:
- Open dock doors and overhead doors, which can significantly increase indoor temperatures when left open during peak heat.
- Roof color, which affects both building heat gain and make-up air temperature.
- Dark-colored roofs absorb substantially more heat than white or ballast-style roofs.
Some member facilities have addressed this directly by coating dark roofs with white reflective roofing material — a capital investment, but one that reduces heat gain facility-wide rather than relying solely on point-of-use fixes.
Where Federal Regulation Stands
Betsy Natz briefed the committee on OSHA's ongoing rulemaking around heat injury and illness prevention. As of this summer, the picture remains unsettled at the federal level:
- OSHA's proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard — published as a notice of proposed rulemaking in August 2024 — has not been finalized. Informal public hearings concluded in mid-2025 and the post-hearing comment period closed on October 30, 2025, but no date has been set for a final rule.
- In the absence of a final standard, OSHA issued a revised Heat National Emphasis Program on April 10, 2026, extending targeted outreach, compliance assistance, and enforcement in high-heat workplaces through April 2031.
- Employers remain obligated to address heat hazards under the OSH Act's General Duty Clause even without a heat-specific standard.
- Under OSHA's proposed heat rule, specific activity exclusions—rather than entire manufacturing sectors like cabinet manufacturing—were carved out.
The takeaway for members: don't wait on a final federal rule to formalize heat safety practices. State requirements (like Minnesota's) are already binding where they apply, and enforcement activity under the existing General Duty Clause continues regardless of the rulemaking timeline. The subcommittee will continue monitoring both federal and state developments.
Looking Ahead
The committee selected New Hire Safety Onboarding as its next discussion topic. The next meeting is scheduled for August 19, 2026, from 12:00–1:00 PM, on Material Handling, led by Nick Johnson and Martha Koch.
Heat stress prevention isn't one policy — it's monitoring, training, response, mitigation, and facility design working together. No single measure covers the gap alone.
Resources Shared During the Meeting
Heat Stress Monitoring Equipment
- REED R6200 WBGT Heat Stress Meter
- REED Instruments Heat Stress Monitor (used by Crystal Cabinet Works)
Cooling Products
These resources were shared as examples of tools and products currently in use by member companies to help mitigate heat stress in manufacturing environments.
Key Resources
OSHA Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Rulemaking: osha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking
OSHA Heat Hazard Recognition: osha.gov/heat-exposure/hazards
KCMA Heat Illness Advocacy Page: kcma.org/heat-illness
KCMA Safety Subcommittee meetings are open to KCMA members. For questions about this summary or to suggest a future discussion topic, contact KCMA staff.
