America Is Failing to Protect Workers From Extreme Heat
I led the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under Obama, and I understand why it hasn’t stepped up to address the threat of climate change.
This summer, the climate crisis has brought intense heat and toxic wildfire smoke to much of the country. These conditions are threats to us all, but they are particularly lethal to those who work outside, in the nation’s fields or construction sites, and even to some who work indoors.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency I ran under President Barack Obama, has no rule requiring protection from extreme heat. How to prevent heat illness and death is no mystery: Provide workers with adequate rest breaks in the shade or a cool
