"And that's the way it was and we liked it!"
Posted on 07/02/2024 5:27:32 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration proposed a new rule Tuesday to address excessive heat in the workplace, as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories due to blistering temperatures.
If finalized, the measure would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job — establishing the first major federal safety standard of its kind. Those affected by excessive heat in the workplace include farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers and indoor workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens.
Under the proposed rule, employers would be required to identify heat hazards, develop emergency response plans related to heat illness, and provide training to employees and supervisors on the signs and symptoms of such illnesses. They would also have to establish rest breaks, provide shade and water, and heat acclimatization — or the building of tolerance to higher temperatures — for new workers.
Penalties for heat-related violations in workplaces would increase significantly, in line with what workplaces are issued for violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules, a senior White House administration official said.
If finalized, the Democratic administration’s rule would override state measures, and states with existing procedures to deal with heat would have to institute measures that are at least as stringent as the finalized federal rule.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
It is cool out right now but, oh the horrors!, it is supposed to hit 103 later. In 1980, we had several days of 115 in Central TX and me without an a/c. Seems the weather folk have lost those records.
Interesting, the rule says no non-essential strenuous physical activity above 90 F. That would be just about every day from June to mid-September around here. Guess we could train at night. Add to that dew points of 70 F or more and it is a killer. I don’t recall the dew points so high when I was a kid but I sure do remember the hot. I recall 113 F and no breeze. The world around us was just about dead except for the cicadas.
OSHA already has regulations heat and the safe practices when working in extreme heat. Is the administration trying to out OSHA OSHA? Buckle up folks.
"And that's the way it was and we liked it!"
Tough to enforce these rules with Biden’s war on energy that almost bans air conditioning
OSHA has not provided for special protections in the specific case of heat domes chasing people through worksites or the risk of illegal aliens being denied access to the water cooler.
Aren’t these all in place already? For decades?
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