National, August 18, 2025 — The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy convened a virtual Small Business Labor Safety Roundtable this week to examine one of Nevada’s most closely watched new workplace safety regulations: the state’s heat illness prevention rule. The meeting, held over Microsoft Teams, offered small business owners and industry stakeholders an opportunity to voice concerns, exchange ideas, and consider policy refinements as they prepare to comply with new requirements designed to protect workers during Nevada’s increasingly extreme summers.
The regulation, adopted in late 2024 after years of debate and stakeholder input, represents Nevada’s first comprehensive statewide mandate addressing heat-related illness in the workplace. Enforcement officially began in the spring of 2025, giving businesses only a short time to adapt to new standards. Employers with more than ten workers must now conduct a formal job hazard analysis to identify risks of heat exposure. If hazards are found, they are required to create a written prevention plan, designate a safety coordinator, and provide training for both employees and supervisors. Access to water, scheduled rest breaks, and clear emergency procedures are also part of the rule, intended to reduce the likelihood of serious heat-related medical incidents.
For Nevada, where summer heat routinely surpasses triple digits, the rule reflects a growing recognition that climate conditions are not just environmental challenges but workplace safety issues. In recent years, reports of workers suffering heat stress or exhaustion have increased, particularly in industries such as construction, landscaping, and warehousing. The regulation aims to set a baseline for protection while leaving room for flexibility. Unlike other states that have attempted to establish strict temperature-based triggers for intervention, Nevada chose a hazard-based approach, requiring employers to evaluate specific conditions rather than adhere to a one-size-fits-all number.
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During the roundtable, participants raised both support and apprehension. Small business owners generally expressed agreement with the goal of safeguarding employees but questioned the feasibility of implementing formal hazard assessments and written safety plans without greater guidance or financial support. Many of these businesses operate with minimal administrative staff and limited budgets, making compliance more challenging than for larger firms. Concerns ranged from the cost of training programs to uncertainty about how inspectors would interpret compliance during site visits. Several participants emphasized the need for clear, accessible instructions, templates, or state-supported training to avoid confusion or unintentional violations.
The Office of Advocacy played an important role in hosting this discussion. As an independent entity within the SBA, its mission is to amplify the voices of small businesses in regulatory processes. By providing a platform for candid, off-the-record conversation, the roundtable gave business owners a rare chance to articulate their experiences without fear of penalty. Their feedback will now be synthesized into recommendations that could help refine enforcement strategies, promote flexibility, and ensure that the new safety rule achieves its intended impact without creating unnecessary burdens.
For Nevada regulators, the stakes are high. Extreme heat has become a defining feature of the state’s climate, exacerbated by longer summers and shifting weather patterns linked to climate change. Worker advocacy groups have long argued that protections were overdue, citing the health risks faced by outdoor workers and those in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. At the same time, the state sought to balance safety with the operational realities of small businesses. The result was a compromise: a regulation that sets firm expectations but leaves employers some discretion in how to meet them, depending on the nature of their industries.
The roundtable highlighted the tension inherent in such compromises. On one hand, business owners acknowledged the moral and practical necessity of protecting employees. On the other, they voiced frustration at what they perceive as an increasing regulatory load, often layered atop existing federal and local requirements. The dialogue revealed not only the complexities of compliance but also the importance of trust between regulators and the regulated. Business leaders urged that guidance must be consistent, inspectors must be trained to apply the rule fairly, and penalties should not fall disproportionately on businesses making good-faith efforts to comply.
Community advocates who joined the discussion underscored that heat illness prevention is not just a compliance issue but a matter of life and death. They cited past summers in which workers were hospitalized after long shifts in extreme heat, arguing that even modest measures—such as enforced rest breaks and shaded recovery areas—can save lives. For these advocates, the regulation represents a long-overdue acknowledgment that workers’ safety cannot be left to chance, especially in a state where high temperatures are a predictable hazard.
By the end of the roundtable, there was broad agreement that more collaboration will be necessary to make the rule effective. Businesses called for better state outreach, perhaps through workshops, compliance guides, or even financial incentives to offset costs of training and equipment. Regulators and advocates stressed that the rule is a baseline, not a ceiling, and that continued refinement will depend on the lived experiences of employers and employees as the policy matures.
August 18 therefore became more than just a date on the calendar. It marked a significant step in Nevada’s attempt to address the intersection of workplace safety, small business realities, and the climate challenges shaping the future of labor. The reopening of dialogue between regulators, businesses, and community advocates through the roundtable reflects an understanding that successful policy is not written in isolation but built through ongoing engagement.
As the summer heat continues across Nevada, the conversation sparked by this roundtable will likely influence how the new regulation is implemented and adjusted in the months to come. For small businesses, the immediate concern is ensuring compliance without overextending limited resources. For workers, the hope is that the rule delivers tangible protections. For the state, the challenge will be to balance these perspectives in a way that keeps Nevada’s workforce both safe and economically strong.