The heat wave in Arizona continues to intensify, with temperatures exceeding 110 degrees, yet the majority of workers remain without adequate legal protection against the extreme heat. Despite increasing occurrences of prolonged heat waves, federal regulations specifically targeting heat safety remain absent.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency, has not established heat-specific regulations, though efforts began during President Joe Biden’s tenure. However, the Trump administration’s directive to eliminate multiple existing regulations for each new one has cast doubt on future progress.
“The U.S. government should be the model employer when it comes to safety of their employees,” stated Eric Gregorovic, president of the Arizona State Association of Letter Carriers, while on a break from delivering mail in Phoenix. On that day, temperatures soared to 106 degrees, with a heat index of 114, and inside his postal truck, temperatures reached a staggering 140 degrees. Gregorovic noted the age of the vehicles, some up to 40 years old, and mentioned recent hospitalizations of mail carriers due to heat.
Arizona law does not mandate workplace heat standards, and legislative attempts to establish such regulations have repeatedly failed, particularly those proposed by Democrats. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, over a million workers in Arizona are employed in industries susceptible to heat risks, such as construction, agriculture, and energy sectors. Delivery workers are also at high risk.
Jason Sangster, the business manager of Ironworkers Local 75, which represents around 1,000 workers in Arizona, emphasized the dangers, saying, “I’ve got a couple members that have had a heat illness (or) heat stroke and once you get it, you just can’t go back outside and be normal again.” The risk isn’t solely for outdoor workers; indoor environments like warehouses and kitchens often lack sufficient cooling, posing hazards as well.
A Harvard University Kennedy School report from June highlighted that 40% of indoor workers face temperatures averaging 80 degrees, a group traditionally excluded from heat regulations. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has recommended heat exposure standards since 1972, but progress has been hindered by staffing cuts during the Trump administration.
OSHA Heat Regulation Developments
OSHA’s proposed heat regulation, announced on August 30 during the Biden administration, outlines requirements for employers to provide water, cooling breaks, and acclimatization protocols starting at 80 degrees. At 90 degrees, the proposal mandates 15-minute breaks every two hours. The public comment period for this proposal has closed, with public opinions such as Elizabeth Enright’s, who believes the rule is a step forward but insufficient.
Under previous administrations, regulatory rollbacks stalled the proposal’s progress. Concerns remain about David Keeling, the current OSHA nominee, due to his past roles at companies cited for inadequate heat protections.
Despite the lack of specific regulations, OSHA continues to monitor heat-stress incidents using a General Duty Clause that mandates workplaces be free from serious hazards. From April 2022 to December 2024, OSHA conducted extensive heat-related inspections, resulting in citations and hazard alerts.
Recent tragic incidents involving postal workers in Dallas and Mesa underscore the urgency for effective regulations. Arizona’s extreme summer of 2023 led to a state of emergency declaration by Governor Katie Hobbs.
State and Local Heat Safety Measures
While some states like Colorado, Washington, and Minnesota have instituted heat safety standards for various workers, Arizona lacks such measures. Local efforts in cities like Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson have established ordinances requiring employers to implement heat safety plans, but these are not statewide.
Governor Hobbs has initiated programs to address heat safety, including a State Emphasis Program and a Workplace Heat Safety Task Force. However, without enforcement power, these initiatives focus on raising awareness and recommending guidelines.
Rick Murray, a task force member, acknowledged, “Here in Arizona, it’s a topic that’s near and dear to all of our hearts, certainly with the heat that we experience every summer.” These efforts aim to provide recommendations by next summer.
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