PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler co-sponsored legislation Friday that would protect workers from extreme heat on the job.
Fiedler says there are currently no federal or statewide heat protections for the thousands of workers who are subjected to long hours in the hot sun each year. She and State Rep. Jim Haddock are working to change that with House Bill 1580.
“We know that the federal administration down in D.C. has taken steps to lay off experts on climate and heat-related initiatives, and I really see it as incumbent upon us as a state legislature to make sure workers here in Pennsylvania are protected,” Fiedler said.
The bill would work to “prevent tragedies,” including heat-related illness, like heat stroke, and death. On average, heat kills more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, according to a report from the National Weather Service.
The legislation would require education on the symptoms of heat stroke, emergency response training, as well as paid rest breaks, water, and access to shade.
“We know that the risk is particularly great for people in certain professions like outdoor construction, farm workers, warehouse workers, and we really just want to make sure that everybody who goes to work is able to return home to their family at the end of the day,” Fiedler said.
And the bill is not just for outdoor workers; it applies to those in hot kitchens, as well, like Olivia, who works at a bakery in Ambler. In testimony given to OSHA, Olivia said she and her co-workers ask the owner to address the lack of air conditioning every summer, but it is never resolved.
“There's no escaping it, and so several people work next to these 500-plus degree ovens all day long, with constant concerns about passing out, worried about what's going to happen to them, and really stepping into the walk-in freezer just to get some relief,” Fiedler said, when referencing Olivia’s testimony.