NPR: With No Federal Standard for Heat, States Are Making Their Own to Protect Workers

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President Joe Biden introduced an occupational standard for workers laboring in extreme heat, but it could take years to take effect. Meanwhile, states like California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington have passed protections as workers toil in extreme temperatures.

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Anastasia Christman, a policy analyst from the National Employment Law Project, says Congress is notoriously slow in updating laws for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA.

“The public comment period can be made very long, the cost-benefit analysis is very difficult in the case of OSHA, because how do you count the value of injuries that won’t happen? You’re having to sort of count something negative,” Christman said.

Meanwhile, states like Texas and Florida have made it illegal for municipalities to pass their own heat ordinances.

Christman points out that heat, which can cause tiredness or confusion, can be the underlying cause of other incidents like forklift collisions or car accidents on the commute home.

“I think it will be very interesting to see whether or not we see not only a decrease in straight up heat illness, but also a decrease in all these other kinds of injuries. And if in fact, the workplace just starts to become exponentially safer,” she said.

If a federal standard goes into effect, experts say enforcement will still be a challenge. OSHA has fewer than 2,000 inspectors responsible for nearly eight million worksites.

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Read and listen to the full story at npr.org.