Learn the five biggest EHS changes coming in 2026, including new rules for heat, PFAS, AI, and climate risk. See what your safety team needs to do.
In 2026, EHS teams will face five major shifts: heat stress regulation, PFAS reporting, AI-driven safety risk, mental health enforcement, and climate disclosure. These aren’t emerging trends, they’re regulatory and operational changes already underway. Safety leaders need to act now to stay compliant and keep pace.
Yes. OSHA is moving forward with a national heat injury and illness prevention standard. On August 30, 2024, the agency published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register, outlining requirements for both indoor and outdoor work environments.
The proposed rule would apply to all sectors under OSHA’s jurisdiction and could impact millions of workers in construction, agriculture, warehousing, manufacturing, and other high-risk industries. It would require employers to develop written heat prevention plans, train workers and supervisors, monitor workplace heat conditions, and take action when conditions become dangerous.
Final rulemaking steps are now underway. Public hearings concluded on July 2, 2025, and the post-hearing comment period, limited to those who submitted a Notice of Intention to Appear, runs through October 30, 2025.
Yes. Mental health, burnout, and job stress have become safety issues, not just HR concerns. The CDC’s Total Worker Health initiative now includes a hierarchy of controls for reducing psychosocial risks, starting with better job design and supervisor training, not just mindfulness sessions.
In 2024, the CDC also released a guide through its Impact Wellbeing campaign, helping hospitals cut burnout rates through scheduling improvements, leadership coaching, and cultural shifts. In healthcare, long-term care, and public service sectors, regulators are pushing for integrated safety and well-being programs, and tracking psychosocial metrics in inspections.
PFAS regulation is tightening fast, and by 2026, enforcement will target reporting, cleanup, and exposure risk. In 2024, the EPA finalized its first national drinking water limits for six PFAS. That same year, the agency designated PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, triggering federal cleanup obligations.
PFAS compliance is quickly shifting from a niche concern to a cross-department priority involving EHS, legal, and procurement. For safety teams, this means developing PFAS monitoring, recordkeeping, and spill response protocols.
Climate and ESG disclosure rules are pulling EHS into broader conversations about risk, strategy, and liability. In March 2024, the SEC finalized a rule requiring large public companies to disclose how they manage climate-related risks, including greenhouse gas emissions. Although court challenges have delayed enforcement, many companies are moving forward with internal systems to track emissions, climate exposure, and operational impacts.
This shift affects safety teams directly. Reporting may now include physical risks like extreme heat, flooding, and supply chain disruption. EHS now plays a key role in how organizations measure and respond to environmental stress across their operations.
The changes shaping EHS in 2026 aren’t just regulatory, they’re operational. Staying ahead now means tracking climate risks, managing PFAS data, and preparing for AI-driven hazards before they impact your team.
EHS Insight gives you the tools to do exactly that. With built-in compliance workflows, mobile inspections, real-time analytics, and AI-powered reporting, it helps safety teams move faster, stay compliant, and lead with confidence.
Start your free trial today and see how EHS Insight helps you stay ahead of risk, not just react to it.
What does OSHA’s proposed heat rule mean for employers in 2026?
OSHA’s proposed heat standard will require written heat safety plans, training, and monitoring in indoor and outdoor worksites. Final rulemaking is in progress. Employers in high-risk sectors should prepare for stricter enforcement, even before the rule becomes official.
How will new PFAS regulations impact EHS compliance programs?
By 2026, PFAS compliance will require reporting past chemical use, disclosing emissions, and developing site-specific response plans. The EPA has designated key PFAS as hazardous substances, triggering cleanup and liability obligations across industries.
Are safety inspections now tracking mental health risks at work?
Yes. Regulators are treating burnout and job stress as workplace hazards. Programs like Total Worker Health encourage controls such as job redesign and supervisor training, and inspections increasingly include psychosocial metrics, especially in healthcare and public service.
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