As heatwaves rage across the country, the Biden administration is proposing first-in-the-nation standards aimed at protecting workers from the extreme heat.
If the proposal is finalized, employers would be required to provide rest breaks, shade and water for workers at risk from extreme heat.
They will also be required to identify heatstroke hazards and develop heatstroke and emergency response plans.
But it’s unclear whether the standard will actually go into effect: It’s unlikely to be finalized before the end of the Biden administration’s term, and the Trump administration is not expected to push the standard through to the final stage.
Between 2011 and 2021, 436 workers were reported to have died from exposure to extreme heat. Bureau of Labor StatisticsThose most susceptible to heatstroke are workers who work outdoors for long periods of time, such as agricultural workers and construction workers.
The Biden administration argues the proposal would save lives.
There are currently no federal heat protections for workers, but some states and localities have implemented their own requirements, while Texas and Florida prohibit cities from issuing their own worker heat protections.
The Biden administration initially said it wanted to propose standards in 2021 and appears to have been working on a proposal since then.
The Biden administration also announced Tuesday that it would spend about $1 billion from bipartisan infrastructure legislation to protect communities from natural disasters and hazards such as heat waves and flooding.
The funds will be used for 656 projects across the country.
The announcement comes as many parts of the country have experienced rising temperatures in recent weeks, with extreme heat expected to get worse now and in the coming years due to climate change.
