There's a growing momentum to establish federal standards to prevent heat illness in the workplace, as temperatures hit record levels in many parts of the U.S. and Europe.
President Joe Biden outlined steps the federal government will take to protect workers, including ramping up safety inspections and enforcement in industries that have a high risk of heat hazards. He appeared in a press conference with the mayors of Phoenix, Ariz., and San Antonio, Texas, on July 27 to highlight measures to address the recent heat waves caused by global climate change.
"Construction workers literally risk their lives working all day in blazing heat, and in some places [they] don't even have the right to take a water break. That is outrageous," Biden said. "We should be protecting workers from hazardous conditions, and we will."
"The No. 1 weather-related killer is heat," he said. "Even those places that are used to extreme heat have never seen it as hot as it is now for as long as it's been." He reminded Americans to recognize the signs of heat stroke, like headache, nausea and dizziness.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said, "This summer has been unprecedented. It's taking a real toll on our community."
The federal government launched a new website with interactive maps, weather forecasts and tips for keeping cool amid record-breaking heat.
We gathered a set of articles on the news from SHRM Online and other trusted news sources.
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