WASHINGTON — Labor advocates in Virginia are urging the public to weigh in on new federal protections to safeguard workers from the dangers of extreme heat.
The U.S. Department of Labor has officially opened the comment period for a proposed OSHA regulation, which could provide long-awaited safety standards for millions of workers exposed to heat on the job.
If finalized, the rule would require employers to implement plans that include access to water, rest breaks and shaded areas.
Micki Siegel de Hernandez, national deputy director of occupational safety and health for the Communications Workers of America, called the proposal a “lifesaving measure.”
“It sets a minimum standard for all workplaces,” Siegel de Hernandez explained. “And will require those workplaces to have heat illness prevention plans that are specific to their workplaces and to the type of work that their workers do.”
Multiple attempts to pass heat safety legislation have failed in the General Assembly. The Farm Labor Organizing Committee has enacted its own heat and safety guidelines for members. Workers under heat stress at 85 degrees or higher are encouraged to take breaks in the shade. When temperatures rise to 95 degrees or higher, workers are advised to take breaks every 2.5 hours and stay hydrated.
While federal regulations are still months away, Siegel de Hernandez highlighted the increasing number of heat-related worker deaths, particularly in such industries as construction and agriculture. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 36 work-related deaths due to environmental heat exposure in 2021 and a total of 436 deaths since 2011.
“Without that, you know, we anticipate that there will just continue to be preventable incidents,” Siegel de Hernandez stressed. “It’s really not rocket science about how to prevent heat-related illness but employers have to do the right thing and many don’t, and this is what a standard is for.”
The proposed OSHA rule would introduce the first federal legal protections for workers exposed to extreme heat, a standard long recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Currently, five states have heat safety protections for workers in outdoor or indoor settings: California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. Maryland is also expected to finalize its heat standard this year. Public comments on the proposed rule are open until Dec. 30.
