KVOA: Tucson Officials taking action to protect city workers and community from extreme heat

Sarika Sood, KVOA

Mayor Regina Romero and the city council adopted a heat protection ordinance for city contractors and a heat action roadmap.

The ordinance makes sure city workers have access to cool water on site. Additional breaks to prevent hydration and shade.

Separately, the heat action roadmap focuses on protecting the community by laying out a plan to cool people's homes, community centers, and Tucson neighborhoods.

“Through the Heat Action Roadmap and Worker Heat Protection Ordinance the City of Tucson is leading with urgency, putting forward concreate actions to protect the public health of our community, our economy, and the Sonoran Desert,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “As the daughter of immigrant farm workers growing up in Somerton, Arizona, I saw first-hand how the dangers of extreme heat impacted loved ones and neighbors working in triple digit temperatures. These experiences shaped me,” added the Mayor.

There are no federal laws specifically protecting workers from extreme heat. OSHA recommends workers be given short, frequent breaks to prevent heat-related illness, but the agency does not require rest breaks. While the Federal government has announced it is adding heat safety rules to OSHA in 2021, the federal rulemaking process could take years.

The Heat Protection Ordinance for City of Tucson Contractors can be found here.

The City of Tucson Heat Action Roadmap is available here.

Read the original article here.