Construction worker standing on top of a wooden beam while working on a home build.

Trump’s OSHA nominee linked to companies cited for deadly heat risks

A former safety executive at UPS and Amazon, now nominated to lead OSHA, oversaw operations during years when workers suffered heat-related illnesses and deaths while those companies lobbied against stronger heat protections.

Sam Pollak reports for The Lever.

In short:

David Keeling, President Trump’s pick to lead OSHA, previously held top safety roles at UPS and Amazon, where hundreds of heat-related illnesses and several deaths occurred during his tenure.
If confirmed, Keeling could halt a proposed federal rule to protect workers from extreme heat, a regulation fast-tracked by the Biden administration but now in jeopardy under Trump’s second term.
Both UPS and Amazon have spent millions lobbying against heat safety regulations at federal and state levels, even as workers report dangerous heat exposures and inadequate protections.

Key quote:

“It would be nice to think that because Keeling spent so much time working at these companies and obviously saw just how dangerous heat can be, he would be ready to do something substantial. But there’s no reason to think that will be the case.”

— Juley Fulcher, worker health and safety advocate, Public Citizen

Why this matters:

As climate change drives more frequent and severe heat waves, the risk to outdoor and warehouse workers continues to rise. Extreme heat is the leading weather-related killer in U.S. workplaces, yet regulatory protections lag dangerously behind. Without a binding federal standard, enforcement often fails to hold employers accountable, even after deaths occur. Many vulnerable workers — including delivery drivers, warehouse employees, agricultural laborers, and construction crews — face prolonged heat exposure with few safeguards. The problem disproportionately affects immigrants and people of color, compounding existing inequalities. Corporate resistance to heat rules, coupled with political shifts favoring deregulation, threatens to stall or reverse efforts to protect millions of workers.

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California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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