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As scorching heatwaves grip the nation, millions of American workers are facing hazardous conditions without adequate heat protections.
While the Biden administration has proposed federal heat protection rules, powerful business groups and lobbyists are pushing back, stymieing efforts at both state and federal levels to implement much-needed safeguards.
In this sizzling summer, extreme temperatures have set new records across the United States, sparking urgency for immediate action to shield workers from heat exposure.
However, the proposed federal heat protections face an uphill battle due to a lengthy rule-making process and potential political challenges that could delay or even derail their implementation until well beyond 2024.
A significant point of contention lies in big-business lobbyists, including influential agricultural and construction groups, aggressively opposing the enactment of heat protection standards.
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These lobbyists claim that current employer practices already adhere to the standards that would be mandated, expressing concerns about the potential burden on businesses, and criticizing the proposed efforts as taking the "wrong approach."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2011 and 2021, at least 436 workers died from heat exposure, though experts suggest that the actual number is likely higher due to the underreporting of heat-related deaths attributed to other causes.
Presently, there is no federal law specifically protecting workers from extreme heat, leaving farm workers and advocacy groups calling for heat protections for farm workers to include the measure in the 2023 farm bill. However, with Republicans in control of Congress, the chances of passing such a measure appear slim.
To address the pressing issue, the Biden administration launched a rule-making effort at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in September 2021, aimed at developing heat exposure standards for both outdoor and indoor workers.
However, powerful business entities have voiced their objections to the proposal.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), known for its denial of climate science, opposes additional heat illness regulations, arguing that they could impose onerous burdens on farmers and ranchers, leading to economic losses.
Similarly, the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) and the National Demolition Association express significant concerns about complicated requirements that could affect contractors, particularly in regions with high temperatures for extended periods.
While some states, such as California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota, have enacted their own heat exposure standards, business groups have responded with lawsuits in Oregon, questioning the feasibility of a federal heat illness standard.
The slow progress in implementing federal heat protections has left worker advocacy groups, unions, and elected officials calling for action at all levels of government.
Congressman Greg Casar of Texas initiated a thirst strike with labor activist Dolores Huerta at the US Capitol, demanding OSHA to implement federal heat standards, including mandatory water breaks for workers.
A proposed congressional bill, the Asuncion Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatalities Prevention Act, has garnered the support of 112 members of Congress, aiming to establish humane work conditions in extreme heat.
While OSHA is working on issuing a final rule on heat illness prevention, it faces challenges in ensuring worker safety, particularly for those already at increased risk due to factors like their job type, ethnicity, or language barriers.
In the face of escalating extreme heat events and the threat posed by climate change, the need for comprehensive heat protections for workers is clearer than ever. As worker fatalities continue to be preventable, the pressure on big businesses to prioritize worker safety and support federal heat protections grows stronger.
In the end, ensuring a safe and healthy workplace for all employees should be the utmost priority, regardless of the challenges faced along the way.
