Employees at off-Strip hotel-casino say air conditioners are out

Extreme heat in the Las Vegas Valley has caused an increase in heat-related complaints to the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, including some reports at an off-Strip hotel-casino.

OSHA received temperature-related complaints from multiple employees about air conditioners being out on OYO Las Vegas’ casino floor, according to department spokesperson Teri Williams.

“Nevada OSHA has received several employee complaints and is looking into the situation to validate the allegations and ensure the employer is taking appropriate measures to resolve the issue,” Williams said in an emailed statement. “No formal investigation has been opened at this time.”

OYO officials did not respond to a request for comment as of publication time.

A formal investigation could open if the employer doesn’t provide “adequate response” to an inquiry or if the tipster provides further evidence that the employer’s response is false or doesn’t sufficiently address the issue, Williams said.

The allegation comes as the region deals with a blistering heat wave that brought record temperatures. The National Weather Service said temperatures reached 120 degrees on Sunday, a new high at the Harry Reid International Airport, where the temperature is measured.

Workplace-related heat complaints have been on the rise so far this summer, data from OSHA shows. There were 127 heat complaints in June, a 370 percent increase from the same time in 2023, according to the most recently available data from OSHA. Almost 85 percent of the complaints were specific to Southern Nevada.

Complaints were most common in the accommodation and food service industry at about 35 percent, according to OSHA.

Heat complaints reached 234 in July 2023, according to the data. That was a 234 percent increase from the previous year.

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.