WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 8, 2026) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, opposes the implementation of a one-size-fits-all heat standard, as proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 2024. The proposed regulation would impose significant and unnecessary compliance burdens on Main Street businesses, ultimately disrupting production and leading to higher operating costs. NFIB released a new issue brief today outlining why small businesses are opposing the regulation. 

“A federal heat standard regulation would be overreaching and costly for small businesses,” said Josh McLeod, NFIB Director of Federal Government Relations. “Current OSHA statute already requires employers to provide their employees with a safe work environment. This proposed rule won’t increase workplace safety but would only add unnecessary new compliance burdens for Main Street.” 

NFIB is urging the Trump Administration to withdraw OSHA’s previously proposed heat regulation and stop all efforts to establish a federal heat standard. NFIB is also urging Congress to enact the Heat Workforce Standards Act, which would prevent the proposed heat standard from being finalized and prevent a future administration from pursuing a similar regulation. 

Read NFIB’s issue brief here.