Who is exempt from Arizona’s 2026 heat guidance?

Checked against Arizona’s published heat guidance on Oct 29, 2026 · By Anchor Point Apps · Not legal advice

The 2026 recommendations list three exemptions. Before you decide your operation doesn’t need a plan, read them closely.

The three exemptions

Incidental heat exposure. An employee isn’t required to perform work activities in heat for more than 15 minutes in any 60-minute period.
Emergency operations directly involved in protecting life or property, or restoring essential services (evacuation, rescue, medical, structural firefighting, law enforcement, utilities and communications), while employees are engaged in those operations.
Buildings and structures with a mechanical ventilation system that keeps the heat index below 80°F.

Where employers misjudge it

“We’re mostly indoors” doesn’t help if workers spend more than 15 minutes of a given hour outside, or work in a warehouse or kitchen that isn’t kept below an 80°F heat index.
The exemptions are from the recommendations; the general duty clause still applies to recognized hazards.
The SEP addresses indoor and outdoor heat hazards, with indoor examples such as work near radiant heat sources.
If you aren’t sure, a free ADOSH consultation is a low-stakes way to ask. Don’t rely on this site for the answer.

Note: the exemption language is from the task force’s recommendations as published by the Safety+Health Magazine and in a copy of the final recommendations; confirm against the current ADOSH documents.

Quick answers

Is a warehouse exempt from Arizona’s heat guidance?

Only if a mechanical ventilation system keeps the heat index below 80°F (or the 15-in-60 incidental exposure applies). Otherwise it’s covered.

Want the plan written for you?

We’re testing demand for a plan builder: answer a short set of questions about your crew and worksite, and get a written Arizona heat illness prevention plan, plus training roster, acclimatization log and water/shade log, with an optional Spanish version. It isn’t built yet and nothing is for sale. Planned price: $39 (Spanish version +$19).

Not legal advice. Not a government site. Heatplan AZ is an independent project of Anchor Point Apps LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Industrial Commission of Arizona, ADOSH, OSHA, or any other government agency. Nothing here is legal or safety-engineering advice, and using a plan, checklist or guide doesn’t guarantee compliance, a clean inspection, or any outcome. Talk to a qualified safety professional or attorney about your operation.

Sources

Facts about Arizona’s heat guidance on this page were checked against these sources on Oct 29, 2026. The Industrial Commission’s own pages were not always reachable when we checked, so some details come from published copies and news coverage of the same documents; always confirm against the current ADOSH documents. Practical advice is labelled as ours.