Sweltering summer temps renew concerns about worker safety

Last week's record-breaking heat wave is highlighting concerns about the potential health risks facing workers.

At Northside Hospital Forsyth in Cumming, Georgia, Dr. Douglas Olson, the medical director for the emergency department, said he's seen a roughly 20% increase in heat-related visits since last year across the hospital's five systems. "Most of the time it's related to occupational heat exposure," he said. "So those people that are working outside for prolonged periods — it's been pretty rough."

The brutal temperatures in Atlanta led the death of one outdoor worker, Olson confirmed.

In Dallas, a mail carrier died after collapsing on his route earlier this month as local temperatures hovered in the 90s, according to CBS News Texas. His death came roughly two years after another Dallas postal worker collapsed and died after the heat index reached 117 degrees.

Federal data shows that 479 workers in the U.S. died from heat exposure between 2011 to 2022, an average of 40 deaths a year.

People who work outside, such as construction workers, landscapers and utility workers, are more likely to get dehydrated and suffer from heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What makes such symptoms so dangerous is how quickly they can escalate.

"People have a sense of what heat-related illness looks like, but a lot of times the symptoms aren't straightforward," said Dr. John Purakal, assistant professor in the Duke Department of Emergency Medicine.

It's not only outdoor workers who sometimes must deal with stifling heat. At a June 25 hearing hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, representatives for United for Respect raised concerns about the safety of Amazon workers.

In one instance earlier this month, the labor advocacy group said a worker at an Amazon fulfillment center in Florida had to lift heavy freight items inside a trailer for several hours where the temperatures reached 112 degrees and where the water stations were not working properly.

Sam Stephenson, an Amazon spokesperson, pushed back on those claims, saying the company's water fountains are functional and that Amazon has a rotation policy for employees tasked with with unloading heavy items that ensures they have time to rest.

He added that Amazon keeps employees safe through climate control systems in buildings, air conditioning in delivery vans, and access to protective clothing and hydration. Last year, Amazon also said it invested $59 million to cool its vans.

UPS, which delivered an average of 22 million packages a day last year, also has previously drawn scrutiny over the temperature of delivery workers' trucks. In a major win for workers, the company in 2023 announced they were adding both air conditioning and fans to their trucks.

A spokesperson for UPS said all newly purchased vehicles have AC and that they are adding them to their fleet as quickly as possible.

"While we don't publicly share the number of vehicles we purchase, we are prioritizing deployment in the hottest regions," the spokesperson said. "Our existing delivery vehicles have been upgraded with enhanced ventilation, fans, and heat shields to improve comfort and reduce cabin temperatures."

The U.S. has no federal heat safety standards for workers, meaning protections can vary significantly depending on the employer. In the absence of a national set of rules, a handful of states have introduced their own regulations to protect workers from the heat.

To address the gaps, OSHA in 2024 proposed a rule that would require employers to create plans to safeguard employees from extreme heat. Among other provisions, it would require employers to make drinking water readily available when the heat index reaches 80 degrees and provide mandatory 15-minute rest breaks when it reaches 90 degrees.

The regulatory agency is currently in the process of holding hearings to gather feedback on the rule, which OSHA says would be a "significant step toward a federal heat standard to protect workers."

A Department of Labor spokesperson declined to comment on whether the White House supports the rule. "Once the record on the hearing closes, the Department will take everything into consideration and make a decision on how to proceed," they said.