Pres. Biden proposes guidelines for working in excessive heat; Texas likely to oppose
The Department of Labor is proposing a new rule to help protect millions of people who work in excessive heat.
President Biden says when finalized, this will be the first-ever such federal guidelines for outdoor workers.
"Summer has just started and already tens of millions of Americans are under heat warnings from record-shattering temperatures," President Biden said on Tuesday.
For people who work outside, like letter carriers and construction workers, there is even more reason to be concerned about dangerous heat.
"Training employees and supervisors, implementing rest breaks, access to shade and water," Biden said.
Jeffrey Shoaf, the CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America reacted to the President's announcement saying, "This proposed new rule provides a starting point for creating measures to protect workers that are based on what the industry is already doing. That final rule should also avoid the kind of one-size all approaches that will do more to hamstring firms than to protect workers."
If finalized, this action will likely be challenged by Texas.
Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law preventing cities like Dallas from creating local ordinances when it comes to breaks and other heat safety rules.
Supporters say the law prevents local governments from bogging down businesses with regulations and creating potential confusion from one city to the next.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed between 2011 and 2021, 42 Texas workers died from heat-related illnesses.
Unions have pushed back, saying that doesn't show the whole picture because many heat-related deaths are listed as other primary causes.
There have been more recent examples, like Eugene Gates Jr., a Dallas letter carrier who died last year after working in extreme heat. His autopsy showed heat illness combined with hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Dallas USPS worker dies after passing out during excessive heat
While on his normal route going door to door during Tuesday’s extreme heat, the 66-year-old collapsed in a front yard, and the homeowner came outside to perform CPR. He later died at the hospital.
President Biden thinks uniform guidelines will protect workers.
"This new rule will substantially reduce heat injuries, illnesses and deaths for over 36 million workers that the rule will apply. From farmworkers to construtcion workers, postal workers, manufacturing workers and so much more," he said.