As the mercury soared across the country, President Biden took to the stage at the Washington DC Emergency Operations Center, sounding the alarm on a silent killer: extreme heat. Citing alarming statistics, he declared, “Extreme heat is the No 1 weather-related killer in the United States. More people die from extreme heat than floods, hurricanes and tornadoes combined.” The dire warning came as the White House revealed a long-awaited proposal to establish the nation’s first-ever federal workplace standard for extreme heat, which, if finalized, would substantially reduce heat injuries, illnesses, and deaths for over 36 million workers.
The proposed rule would require employers to establish heat safety coordinators, undergo extreme heat safety training, create and regularly update emergency heat response plans, and provide workers with shade and water. It would also require a heat acclimatization process for new employees to gradually increase their exposure to high temperatures. When the heat index in a workplace breaches 80F (27C), the standard would trigger increased access to water and temperature-controlled break rooms. At a 90F (32C) heat index, the standard would trigger additional protections, including paid 15-minute breaks every two hours, mandated observation of employees, and hazard alerts for all workers.
President Joe Biden (Via Joe Biden/Twitter)Labor and climate activists hailed the administration’s move, but the road to finalization is likely to be long and arduous. The proposed rule faces potential legal challenges from trade groups, and if Donald Trump wins the November election, his administration could refuse to greenlight the measure. Biden himself acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying, “We’re just getting started here, man. I’m confident we’re going to get this done.”
The president’s remarks stood in stark contrast to the rhetoric of climate deniers, whom he targeted with a scathing rebuke. “Not a single congressional Republican voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, and now they’re trying to repeal its green provisions,” he said. “I quite frankly think it’s not only outrageous, it’s really stupid. When disaster strikes, there are no red states or blue states.”
As the country continues to grapple with the devastating impacts of extreme heat, the proposed rule represents a crucial step forward in protecting the nation’s most vulnerable workers. Despite the challenges ahead, the administration’s determination to act on this pressing issue is a beacon of hope in the face of a severe and growing threat.