Biden Administration Delivers on Workplace Protections from Heat

There can be no doubt that heat is a major threat to workers both outdoors and indoors. Many members of CWA continue to work outdoors through dangerous heat waves and on shop floors where heat-producing machinery can lead to heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke and death, if not properly protected. Last week, President Joe Biden announced a new, proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard on excessive heat in the workplace that will save lives.

The proposed standard requires employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplace. It includes common-sense remedies for heat exposure: access to cold water and rest away from sunlight and heat. As if to prove the adage “common sense isn’t that common,” some Republican governors have moved recently to halt the creation of heat guidelines. In Florida, Governor DeSantis signed HB 433, blocking municipalities from requiring employers to provide heat exposure abatement, such as cooling areas and cold water.

The Biden Administration also plans to release $1 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for Federal Emergency Management Agency projects to help communities prepare for natural disasters and hazards, including heat and wildfire smoke.