Miami-Dade County Commissioners to Vote on Stricter Workplace Heat Regulations Amid Rising Global Temperatures

Vote Will Determine First Comprehensive Local Heat Standard for Outdoor Workers, Amidst Resistance from Industry Lobbyists and Potential Legal Challenges from State Legislators

• Miami-Dade County commissioners are voting on the first county-level workplace heat protections in the U.S., which could set a model for other local governments to follow.
• The proposed rules include requiring construction and agriculture companies to train their workers to recognize and respond to signs of heat illness and provide rest breaks, clean water and shaded areas on hot days. Companies that fail to comply could face fines up to $2,000 per violation.
• There is opposition to the bill from industry lobbyists and potential legal challenges from state legislators. A Florida state law allows businesses to sue local governments over any ordinance they find 'arbitrary or unreasonable', which can delay or hinder the enforcement of local regulations.
• Official records indicate that 815 workers died and 70,000 more were seriously injured by heat stress between 1992 and 2017, but these numbers are believed to be an undercount. Heat can indirectly lead to heart attacks, kidney failures, falls and machine accidents which often aren't recorded as heat-related.
• A heat standard at the federal level is still years away. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration started the rule-making process in 2021, however, the chances of a federal heat standard depend on the outcome of the next Presidential election, and the process itself may take nearly a decade to complete.

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