The administration of President Joe Biden has taken measures to safeguard workers and communities from the lethal impacts of extreme heat, including proposing the first-ever regulation on this issue by the Department of Labor. On June 20, prior to the commencement of the US summer, nearly 100 million Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches, and warnings. New York City activated emergency cooling centers, while New Mexico grappled with deadly wildfires.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within the Department of Labor is proposing a rule to protect workers. If finalized, this would be the first-ever US safety standard on the matter. The rule includes provisions for identifying heat hazards, emergency response plans, training for supervisors, and work standards such as breaks, access to shade and water, and heat acclimatisation for new employees. Farm worker groups had urged the administration to establish heat standards, given that agricultural workers frequently face high temperatures and inconsistent access to shade, water, and breaks.
OSHA estimates that the rule would affect approximately 36 million workers and significantly reduce heat-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace. Extreme weather, including extreme heat, also poses economic challenges. A White House fact sheet noted that a record 28 individual billion-dollar extreme weather and climate disasters in 2023 resulted in over $90 billion in economic damage.
Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is allocating nearly $1 billion for nearly 660 projects to aid communities in preparing for disasters and natural hazards, including extreme heat, storms, and flooding. A White House fact sheet revealed that President Biden will receive a briefing on extreme weather forecasts for the summer on Tuesday. The White House will also host a summit on extreme heat this summer.
