Proposal would create first federal standard for workplace exposure to extreme heat, which kills hundreds each year
The Biden administration has unveiled a long-awaited proposal to protect workers from extreme temperatures. If finalized, the rule will establish the nation’s first-ever federal safety standard for excessive heat exposure in the workplace and protect as many as 36 million indoor and outdoor workers.
Announced on Tuesday amid temperature warnings across the country, the rule would require employers to establish a heat safety coordinators, undergo extreme heat safety training, create and regularly update emergency heat response plans, and provide workers with shade and water.
It would also require a heat acclimatization process for new employees to gradually increase their exposure to high temperatures. Three out of four workers who die of workplace heat exposure in the US die during their first week on the job, senior administration officials told reporters on Monday.
The proposed rule includes specific safeguards for when the heat index in a workplace breaches 80F (27C), including increased access to water and temperature-controlled break rooms. At a 90F (32C) heat index, the standard would trigger additional protections, including paid 15-minute break every two hours, mandated observation of employees, and hazard alerts for all workers.
Employers who fail to meet the standard could be subject to fines. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s general-duty clause, workplaces with dangerous levels of heat stress can be subject to penalties of roughly $16,000; the rule would substantially increase that amount, the administration officials said.
