Lack of worker heat protections despite rising temperatures leave patchwork of guidelines, put workers in danger

Esteban Wood still remembers a Mexican farmer in Homestead, Florida, who collapsed from extreme heat. In 2018, Wood learned about the case of a 74-year-old farmer who passed out on the job and suffered kidney damage. This incident inspired the creation of a campaign to have employers grant breaks to farmworkers during intense heat. However, various states, including Florida and Texas, have passed laws prohibiting cities from enforcing heat protection rules for workers. The lack of consistency among local, state, and federal laws and rules is a major challenge. Outdoor workers are at a high risk of heat exposure-related deaths. The Department of Labor and the Biden administration have proposed a rule to safeguard workers from extreme heat, but more needs to be done. The problem is compounded by financial incentives that discourage rest breaks for outdoor workers. Wage protections and better heat protections are necessary to ensure the safety of workers.