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The Heat Is On Employers To Protect Workers In A Hotter Normal
Workers walk by a conveyor belt system that is under construction at a new Amazon fulfillment center.
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Justin Sullivan
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Advocates for warehouse workers are trying to increase pressure on the state to move faster on heat protections for indoor work.
Why now: They spoke today at a news conference in the Inland Empire, where temperatures are expected to reach a high of 107 degrees. While employers are always required by law to provide a safe workplace, advocates say a specific heat standard is necessary to enforce worker safety.
The backstory: Back in 2016, California passed SB 1167. That legislation called on Cal/OSHA to develop new indoor heat standards by January 2019. Instead, that's still underway. The first public hearing on a draft rule was held just this year.
What’s next: The proposed indoor heat rule would require employers to provide certain protections, like providing water and increasing breaks when indoor temperatures hit 82 degrees. A vote is not expected until early next year.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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