Biden proposes new rule to protect 36 million workers from extreme heat

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has proposed a new rule to address excessive heat in the workplace. The Democrat warns as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories that high temperatures are the country’s leading weather-related killer. If finalized, the measure unveiled Tuesday would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job — establishing the first major federal safety standard of its kind. Those affected by excessive heat in the workplace include farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers, gardeners and workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens. Biden says more people die from extreme heat than from floods, hurricanes and tornadoes combined.