Above, a construction worker takes a break and drinks some water during a heatwave in Boston on June 19.Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
“Workers all over the country are passing out, suffering heat stroke and dying from heat exposure from just doing their jobs, and something must be done to protect them,” Doug Parker, assistant secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration , said in“Today’s proposal is an important next step in the process to receive public input to craft a ‘win-win’ final rule that protects workers while being practical and workable for employers,” Parker said.
The proposed rule comes as the nation continues to experience record-shattering heat waves and extreme weather activity, and as more than 75 million people were under heat alerts on Tuesday.Why isn’t extreme heat considered a disaster in the U.S.?