US proposes new safety rules for workers toiling in high heat

WASHINGTON: The administration of US President Joe Biden on Tuesday proposed new regulations aimed at protecting labourers working in extremely high temperatures, as heat waves intensified by climate change increasingly blanket the nation.

The rule would be aimed at mail carriers, delivery people, construction workers, landscapers, restaurant staff and others exposed to consistently high heat indexes, which measures how the temperature actually feels to humans.

The measure -- which would affect about 35 million workers, according to the government -- would apply to those working both inside or outside who can expect to be exposed to a heat index of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 Celsius) or higher.

“The purpose of this rule... is to significantly reduce the number of worker-related deaths, injuries and illnesses suffered by workers who are exposed to excessive heat... simply by doing their jobs,” a senior administration official told reporters.

Under the rule, employers would be required to develop heat injury and illness prevention plans, and appoint a workplace heat safety coordinator. If the heat index were to hit the 80-degree mark, workers would have to be provided with drinking water and access to break areas in the shade or in air-conditioned spaces.