A heat hazard alert to remind employers to protect workers against heat illness was released on Thursday by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Enforcement efforts will also be intensified in areas where workers are exposed to heat hazards with increased inspections in high-risk industries such as construction and agriculture.

“Historically, high temperatures impact everyone and put our nation’s workers at high risk,” Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su said in a press release.

The move comes as the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and advisories through Sunday for parts of the Central and Southern Plains eastward to the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic as well as for smaller areas over portions of California, the Southwest and the Southern Rockies.

OSHA previously released a note as part of its Temporary Worker Initiative offering guidance on temporary workers and the heat clarifying that the host employer has the primary responsibility for developing a heat illness and injury program for the worksite, providing cool water and cool, shaded areas for rest among other safety measures.

Thursday’s announcement by OSHA and the Department of Labor comes at the request of President Biden.

“A workplace heat standard has long been a top priority for the Department of Labor, but rulemaking takes time, and working people need help now,” Su said. “Today, at the president’s request, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a heat hazard alert to make sure employers follow current standards and that workers across the country know their rights.”

In the US, 436 people have died because of workplace exposure to heat since 2011, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

OSHA has begun a rulemaking process to consider a heat-specific workplace standard.

President Biden said in prepared remarks on Thursday that the Department of Labor has conducted 2,600 heat-related inspections at workplaces since last year.

Biden noted that Puerto Rico reached a 125-degree heat index last month, and San Antonio hit an all-time heat index high of 117 last month as well. In addition, Phoenix has been over 110 degrees for 27 straight days.