This bill proposes updates to current statutes regarding workplace safety in extreme temperatures by introducing new requirements for employers. Under the new provisions, employers must develop comprehensive written programs to address heat-related illnesses when temperatures reach or exceed eighty degrees Fahrenheit, including training, access to drinking water, and mandatory cool-down breaks. Additionally, employers will be required to provide adequate heating and warm-up areas when temperatures drop below sixty degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring protection against cold-related illnesses. The bill also emphasizes monitoring and reporting temperature-related illnesses, effective communication, and emergency response procedures.

Moreover, the bill introduces new definitions such as "Outdoor Temperature Stress Threshold," which encompasses temperatures above eighty degrees Fahrenheit or below sixty degrees Fahrenheit, and clarifies what constitutes an "outdoor worksite." It specifies that incidental outdoor work exposure lasting no more than fifteen minutes within a sixty-minute period is not considered part of an outdoor worksite. The bill also defines "personal protective equipment" and "preventative cool-down rest," and incorporates a comprehensive definition of "temperature" based on measurements from a globe thermometer. These updates aim to enhance worker safety and health standards in outdoor environments.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 23-207