Today, many learned about a tragic heat stress fatality in Florida. While the incident took place in September 2023, this week OSHA cited the contractor for lack of a heat illness prevention program. What makes this so chilling is just last week Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed into law a bill barring the State’s local governments from creating their own heat stress legislation and regulations.
ISEA asked Gov. DeSantis to veto this bill, HB 433. In the March 21 letter, ISEA President and CEO Cam Mackey said “it is clear that exposure to extreme heat can be dangerous to people, even resulting in death.” ISEA further noted heat illnesses cost the state $11 billion in economic activity.
Heat stress illnesses and fatalities are preventable. To help prevent more tragedies, ISEA calls on all employers to adopt the heat illness prevention strategies found in the new ANSI/ASSP A10.50-2024 – Heat Stress Program Management Standard.
ISEA has been a long-time supporter of Rep. Judy Chu’s (D-CA) legislation, Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury and Fatality Prevention Act, which would require OSHA to write a heat stress standard in short order.
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