Harrisburg, PA — A new bill in the Pennsylvania House is aimed at protecting workers from heat-related injuries and illnesses.
Introduced on Aug. 28 by Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) and Jim Haddock (D-118th District), H.B. 1580 would direct the commonwealth’s Department of Labor and Industry to issue a regulation on heat. Should the bill become law, Pennsylvania would join other states that have heat regulations on the books, including California, Colorado, Maryland and Minnesota.
The bill would require employers to adopt a heat illness prevention plan, as well as provide workers with paid rest breaks, water and access to shade. Employers would also need to train their employees on the signs and types of heat-related injuries and illnesses, the importance of acclimatization and hydration, and emergency response procedures, among other topics.
Under the bill, a “high-heat condition” would be considered a heat index of 80° F or greater. The bill includes exceptions for emergency responders, fire service and disaster-related emergency work.
“I am eager to get the first heat protection legislations passed to protect our Pennsylvania workforce,” Haddock said in a press release. “It is unbelievable that today our workers do not have protections granted to them dealing with extreme heat stress while at work.
“I am glad to champion H.B. 1580 along with Rep. Fiedler and to grant these protections to our workers. Every worker should be able to return home safely at the end of their day and not worry about heat-related injury up to and including death.”
A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate “soon,” according to an Aug. 28 co-sponsorship memo.
