According to reporting from the Connecticut Mirror, 34 workers across the country have died due to extreme heat in 2024 alone.
With record setting days becoming increasingly common across the United States and in Connecticut, the US Department of Labor has announced a proposed rule which would provide new protections for workers exposed to extreme heat.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has spearheaded efforts to track heat related issues with its National Emphasis Program — Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards. Out of 7,000 inspections of heat related instances of injury, illness, or death 26 inspections happened in Connecticut.
It is believed that migrant and seasonal workers are among the most vulnerable to dangers associated with high heat, particularly in agriculture which requires outside work. Due to language barriers, many of these workers, even legal visa holders, find it difficult to report unsafe conditions and request what they are entitled to by federal law: adequate access to cool water, sufficient rest breaks, and a shaded or cool area in which to take them.
For more information visit https://www.osha.gov/heat.
