Newswise — The Biden Administration has proposed a new rule aimed at protecting millions of workers from extreme heat.
The proposed rule would require employers to develop an injury and prevention plan and give workers the right to water, shade and rest breaks when they are working in extremely hot environments.
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration the proposed rule would help protect an estimated 36 million workers in outdoor and indoor settings and substantially reduce heat injuries, illnesses and deaths in the workplace.
The proposal from OSHA sailed through the White House clearance process, however it could take a year for the new rule to go into effect, according to David Michaels, professor of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
“OSHA's proposed rule requiring employers to protect outdoor and indoor workers from extreme heat is an important step in mitigating the impact of the climate crisis,” said Michaels, who served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA from 2009 through January 2017, the longest serving administrator in OSHA's history. “Many businesses already recognize the importance of protecting their heat-exposed workers, and so they will start to meet OSHA's requirements even before the rule is finalized.”
To arrange an interview with David Michaels please contact Kathy Fackelmann, [email protected].
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