Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to establish new guidelines to protect Arizona workers from the dangers of extreme heat.
Hobbs issued an executive order Thursday directing the Industrial Commission of Arizona’s Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health to create a workplace heat safety task force.
Hobbs named 18 people to the task force. They represent industries including roofing, construction and firefighting.
The task force will have until the end of this year to draft a list of heat safety recommendations for Arizona employers. The Industrial Commission would then have to review the guidelines, but the Hobbs administration hopes the rules would take effect by next summer.
“Whether building our homes, growing our produce, or manufacturing the next advanced technology, Arizonans deserve to be safe at work,” Hobbs said in a press release.
The press release said the Industrial Commission of Arizona receives hundreds of workers’ compensation claims for heat-related illnesses each year.
In a statement, Katelyn Parady, with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, said her organization hoped to see the state outline rules for paid breaks and access to water, but also hoped the guidelines would include clear enforcement measures.
“Lifesaving, evidence-based recommendations like these mean very little for workers unless they are codified in an enforceable standard with strong anti-retaliation protections,” Parady said.
Earlier this month, Hobbs signed a new law aimed at protecting construction workers from extreme heat by requiring municipalities to allow construction work to begin earlier in the morning May through mid-October. Democratic lawmakers also had proposed a handful of other bills related to workplace heat safety this session, but most did not receive hearings.
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