In the midst of record-breaking heat waves this summer, workers are facing the risk of heat-related injury, illness, and even death. In fact, heat has become the most prevalent lethal factor among all weather-related fatalities, according to the National Weather Service. To address the threat to worker safety and lives posed by rising global climate trends, the Biden-Harris administration recently announced a proposed rule to substantially reduce heat injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace. The proposed rule would be “the first-ever federal regulation on heat stress in the workplace.”

The proposed rule would require employers to conduct heat hazardous identification and assessment, develop a heat injury and illness prevention plan, provide indoor work area control, and allocate time and area for rest breaks. The rule also would require employers to provide training and education in their workplace.

The new standard has two heat index triggers that apply nationwide. When temperatures reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the proposal would require employers to provide workers with drinking water, as well as a place and time to take breaks and help employees acclimatize to working in extreme heat. When temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit, employers would be required to provide employees with 15-minute rest breaks every two hours and monitor for symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

By establishing a federal standard, the proposed rule would benefit a vast number of U.S. workers and enhance equity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 33% of workers in 2023 were exposed to the outdoors as a regular part of their job. Furthermore, Black, African American, Hispanic, or Latino workers—who make up roughly 32% of the U.S. population—comprise 45% of all workers in outdoor conditions.

2024 could be the hottest year on record. Worsening climatic conditions mean that workers who work outdoors and indoors in high temperatures are more at risk. The proposed rule is therefore a necessary policy effort to protect workers amid the ongoing global climate crisis.