OSHA Advice Heading into Summer

This OSHA QuickTakes newsletter from June 8, 2026 covers several workplace safety topics heading into summer. A major theme is protecting vulnerable worker groups: young workers entering the workforce for the first time are highlighted, with OSHA's partner CareerSafe bringing safety education into high school classrooms. Whistleblower protections are also featured, using a nuclear plant worker's case as an example of how reporting safety defects led to a successful settlement and job reinstatement.

Seasonal hazards dominate much of the newsletter. Heat illness prevention is emphasized as summer approaches, with reminders to stay hydrated and take shade breaks. Hurricane preparedness gets attention as the Atlantic season runs June through November. Trench safety is spotlighted alongside the National Utility Contractors Association's Trench Safety Stand Down week (June 15-19), and tree care workers are warned about hazards like power lines and falling branches.

The newsletter also touches on OSHA's broader programs and data. The agency's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) are highlighted through a Chevron Phillips Chemical case study on building strong safety cultures. OSHA announced that injury and illness data from 2023-2025 is now publicly available, with 2025 being the first year to include narrative data alongside the numbers. Rounding things out, the newsletter notes OSHA's 50th anniversary milestones from the 1990s, promotes current job openings at the agency, and lists upcoming events including the American Society of Safety Professionals Conference and Safe & Sound Week in August.

Read the full newsletter here.