Maryland implements new work heat protection law

MARYLAND ( DC News Now ) — Maryland lawmakers are helping people who work in hot temperatures stay protected through a new work heat protection law.

Maryland is now the first state on the East Coast to adopt a work heat protection law for inside and outside work settings.

“So the goal is to protect workers. The goal is [to] protect workers from heat illness. And in the extreme case, you know, death from heat illness,” said Maryland state delegate Lorig Charkoudian.

Charkoudian is an advocate for climate change solutions, she’s constantly looking at ways to improve policies when it comes to climate change, and heat illness is one of them.

“If you look at the number of days of extreme heat every summer, even since 2020, that’s increased significantly. The average temperatures have increased significantly, every year has been the hottest year on record,” said Charkoudian

In August, a Baltimore man died while on the job due to heat-related causes. After several conversations with labor unions since introducing the bill in 2020 , Charkoudian realized a statewide law specific to work heat protection is needed.

“If we need people functioning in extreme heat settings to continue to deliver services of government, manufacturing, [or] might be construction, we need to make sure that we have the protections in place, for those workers,” she said.

The work heat protection law requires employers with employees working in any indoor or outdoor environment that is above 80 degrees should ensure there is access to at least 32 ounces of water, shade, rest breaks and they must do training on heat illness and prevention.

“We want to learn and understand the prevention for sure, but also the early signs of heat stress, how to notice them in ourselves, how to notice them in the people we supervise, how to notice them in our coworkers or again, friends and neighbors,” added Charkoudian.

Lawmakers said this is about creating a safe work environment while tackling a larger issue, which is climate change and its effects.

“We need to be doing is really thinking about how are we adapting our communities, our neighborhoods and learning our understanding of our own health, and other people with preexisting conditions, elderly folks, children, people who are more vulnerable to heat stress,” said Charkoudian.

A statement to DC News Now from Devki Virk, Commissioner of Labor and Industry at the Maryland Department of Labor, said the department supports the new change and the safety and health program will enforce it.

Workers are routinely–and more frequently–facing health risks from high heat. Employees need protections they can count on, and employers need clear rules that they can follow to ensure safe workplaces. Maryland is fortunate to have a state occupational and safety plan that allows us to respond to the needs of our state…. Over the coming months, we will plan for outreach to workers and employers to raise awareness of both the dangers of heat and the protections that the standard provides, to ensure the health and safety of all Maryland workers.”

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