Biden Announces New Rule To Protect Workers From Extreme Heat

The Biden administration unveiled a sweeping rule on Tuesday to protect American workers from extreme heat — an already deadly threat that is becoming worse as climate change drives up temperatures around the globe.

The long-anticipated regulation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would, if finalized, establish the nation’s first-ever federal safety standard for excessive heat in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. It is expected to cover some 36 million workers — agricultural laborers, roofers and warehouse workers, to name a few — and dramatically curb heat-related injuries and deaths, the administration said.

The move comes amid dangerous heat warnings across much of the U.S. South, Midwest and West and on the heels of the hottest year in recorded history.

An estimated 2,302 heat-related deaths were recorded in the U.S. last year, up from 1,722 in 2022 and 1,602 in 2021. An average of 33 heat-related workplace deaths and 3,389 injuries and illnesses occurred each year from 1992 to 2020, although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said those numbers are “likely vast underestimates.”

The new rule requires employers to implement a variety of safety measures once the heat index reaches certain thresholds. At 80 degrees, workers must be provided with access to water and shaded or indoor rest areas, as well as paid rest breaks as required to prevent overheating. At 90 degrees, the proposed rule mandates a paid 15-minute rest break every two hours and requires employers to monitor workers for signs of heat-related illness. Additionally, new or returning employees must be given multiple days to acclimate to jobs that expose them to high temperatures.

“Workers all over the country are passing out,