Ashley Siefert Nunes
WASHINGTON—The Florida legislature passed a bill today that will leave outdoor workers in the state at increasing risk of heat-related illness and death. Per the bill, cities, counties, and other municipalities will be prohibited from implementing common sense safeguards—such as water breaks and access to shade—to protect workers during times of extreme heat. State and local protections are crucial as the federal government does not have a uniform heat-protection standard to cover outdoor workers in the United States.
Below is a statement by Dr. Kristina Dahl, a principal climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Dr. Dahl is a co-author of the peer-reviewed analysis “Too Hot to Work,” and was also named in the 2023 TIME100 Next list, which highlights the emerging leaders shaping the future of science, activism, politics, business and more.
“The bill passed by the Florida legislature today is cruel and inhumane to the more than 2 million people whose work in the state requires them to be outdoors. Outdoor jobs are often more dangerous than others, and outdoor workers have up to a 35 times greater risk of dying from heat exposure than the general population. The worst part is these deaths are largely preventable if employers are required to meet workers’ basic needs for water, shade and rest.
“The last 10 years have been the 10 hottest on record, an alarming trend that could continue into 2024. And last year, Florida experienced its third-hottest year on record, with places like Miami enduring 46 consecutive days when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit. As people continue to warm the planet, that kind of heat will become more frequent, leaving more workers at risk of experiencing heat-related illnesses or death unless protections are written into regulations and laws.
“For decades, workers have been calling upon the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop and enforce a workplace heat-protection standard. In the absence of a federal-level standard, states such as California, Oregon and Washington have enacted their own safeguards. And in the absence of state-level standards it falls to cities and counties to protect workers from extreme heat. Thwarting these local efforts when the U.S. and state governments have failed to ensure safe conditions for workers will only further expose people to dangerous and deadly heat.
“In the face of a warming climate, today’s events underscore the desperate need for a strong, enforceable federal heat-protection standard. In the meantime, we call on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to veto this abhorrent abomination of a bill.”
If you have any questions or would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Dahl or another UCS expert, please contact UCS Climate and Energy Media Manager Ashley Siefert Nunes.
A peer-reviewed UCS analysis titled “Killer Heat” found that by midcentury the number of days per year when the “feels like” temperature in Florida exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit would increase from 25 days historically to 105 days by midcentury. According to the UCS analysis “Too Hot to Work,” extreme heat is expected to place $8.4 billion in Florida workers’ earnings at risk annually by midcentury. More information about how extreme heat will impact the state’s outdoor workers is available here. An interactive map is also available.