Feds push new heat protections for workers while AZ steps up safety efforts

The Biden administration Tuesday published a new rule for employers that aims to help protect about 36 million workers from heat-related illnesses and death.

Why it matters: The rule, if finalized, would establish the first federal safety standard addressing excessive heat in the workplace — at a time when Phoenix and other major cities are experiencing historically long stretches of extreme heat .

• According to the latest data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics , 33,890 work-related heat injuries and illnesses were recorded in the U.S. between 2011 and 2020.

Driving the news: The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's proposed rule for employers to protect workers in extreme heat was sent to the federal register Tuesday.

• Under the proposed rule, employers in certain jobs would have to establish a heat safety coordinator for the workplace and develop procedures for responding to symptoms of heat illness.
• Employers would need to evaluate their plans annually.
• Employers would also be required to monitor heat levels for outdoor workers.

State of play: The rule would apply to indoor and outdoor workers who engage in physical activity and are exposed to a heat index of 80° or higher.

• It's meant to protect workers "whether they are making deliveries, carrying mail all day, working construction, picking vegetables, repairing power lines, doing landscaping," a senior White House official said during a press call on Monday.

Reality check: The rule will not take effect in time to help this summer. Tuesday began a 120-day public comment period.

• And its adoption is not guaranteed. Trade industry groups that have called federal regulation overly burdensome to businesses and Republican governors who have signed laws banning cities from adopting heat safety regulations are likely to sue against the proposed rule.

Yes, but: Some new local protections aim to hold employers accountable for keeping their workers safe.

• In March, the Phoenix City Council voted to require city contractors and subcontractors to provide access to rest, shade, water and air conditioning for outdoor workers. That move is estimated to impact about 10,000 workers, Phoenix New Times reported .
• Last July, the Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health announced it would send inspectors to outdoor job sites to ensure workers have access to water, shade and rest.

The bottom line: Human-caused climate change is making heat waves more likely , more intense and longer lasting — in some cases quintupling the odds of extreme temperatures.