OSHA heat rule advances despite Trump-era deregulation push

Federal regulators are moving ahead with a long-delayed rule to protect workers from extreme heat, even as the Trump administration works to roll back dozens of other workplace safety measures.

Frida Garza reports for Grist.

In short:

• The proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule would require water, shade, breaks, and heat illness plans for about 36 million workers, excluding sedentary employees.
• Public hearings show the agency is engaged, but even optimistic timelines suggest it could take years before the protections are enforced.
• Advocates say workers — especially farm and warehouse laborers — cannot wait, citing rising deaths and record-breaking summer temperatures.

Key quote:

“Since OSHA started its heat-stress rulemaking in 2021, over 144 lives have been lost to heat-related hazards.”

— Sen. Alex Padilla, California

Why this matters:

Extreme heat kills more people in the U.S. each year than floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes. Outdoor laborers, including farmworkers and construction crews, bear the brunt of rising temperatures, often without adequate shade or rest. Prolonged exposure doesn’t just cause immediate heatstroke; it worsens chronic conditions like heart disease and kidney problems, making heat-related deaths harder to track and frequently undercounted. As climate change drives longer, hotter summers, this silent toll is growing. The lack of federal protections leaves millions reliant on a patchwork of state rules or employer goodwill, raising stark questions about how society values the workers who harvest food, build homes, and keep supply chains running in dangerous conditions.

Read more: Heat protections for workers stall as summer temperatures soar