New Mexico weighs new heat safety rules to shield workers as temperatures soar
New Mexico officials are considering statewide heat protections for workers after a surge in complaints and hospital visits linked to rising temperatures, but industries and Republicans argue the plan goes too far.
Martha Pskowski reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau has proposed a rule requiring employers to implement heat safety plans, provide drinking water and shaded rest areas, and ensure new workers acclimate to high temperatures.
- The state recorded over 900 heat-related ER visits in 2023, including 120 likely tied to work; the rule comes as average summer temperatures in Las Cruces have risen by 5.4 F degrees since 1970.
- Republican lawmakers and business groups, including the restaurant and construction industries, oppose the rule, citing cost concerns and a lack of evidence that mandates are necessary.
Key quote:
“Our workers need protection now. We can’t afford to wait another summer.”
— Shelley Mann-Lev, executive director of Healthy Climate New Mexico
Why this matters:
Extreme heat is fast becoming one of the deadliest climate-related threats in the U.S., especially for low-wage and outdoor workers. As global temperatures rise, laborers in construction, agriculture, oilfields, and even classrooms are increasingly exposed to dangerous conditions without standardized protections. Heat illness can begin with dehydration or dizziness and quickly escalate to life-threatening heat stroke. Yet federal safeguards remain stalled, leaving states like New Mexico to decide whether to act independently. Without intervention, the health toll from rising temperatures will likely worsen—especially in regions like the Southwest, where climate change is accelerating warming more quickly than the national average.
Related: Trump’s OSHA nominee linked to companies cited for deadly heat risks
