Temperatures continue to climb nationwide, prompting calls for OSHA to institute new heat safety standards for workers. Advocates and officials, including Acting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su, are championing a proposed rule that seeks to protect around 36 million laborers from the dangers of heat exposure. "The same people who during the COVID pandemic were labeled as essential workers, because they are essential to our society, are now being forgotten in the face of extreme heat," said Congressman Maxwell Frost, according to ClickOrlando.

Amidst the regulatory push, Florida has become a battleground over worker protections from extreme heat. Recently, Su brought this issue to the forefront during a visit with Orlando workers, discussing the proposed OSHA standards which would demand employer responsibility once temperatures spike. Su emphasized that job quality can't improve without addressing "exploitative working conditions." Notably, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation preventing local governments from creating their own heat protection rules, compounding the urgency for federal action, as reported by Orlando Weekly.

Ongoing debates counter concerns with economic implications as opponents of the legislation argue about the costs of implementing such standards. However, Su counters, "What is the cost of doing nothing. The cost of human life, the cost to dignity of workers is far too high." The Bureau of Labor Statistics underscores these concerns, recording nearly 480 U.S. worker fatalities from environmental heat exposure between 2011 and 2022, as detailed by ClickOrlando.

The current proposal sets forward proactive measures such as a heat illness prevention plan and thresholds for mandatory water and rest breaks based on the heat index. As the proposal enters the Federal Register, a 120-day public commentary period will follow.