Phoenix passes heat safety regulations to protect outdoor workers

Phoenix City Council has passed a new ordinance requiring contractors to enact heat safety protections for outdoor workers, AZCentral reports.

The rule requires employers who work with the city to draft a heat safety plan that provides access to free and cool water for all employees, availability to take breaks as needed for and for hydration, access to shade or air conditioning and training.

The rule also requires employers to deploy practices that help employees adapt to the heat, and to provide air conditioning in vehicles with enclosed cabs by May 1, 2025.

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The new ordinance takes effect in May, and contractors who fail to meet the requirements risk losing business with the city and the eligibility to work with Phoenix in the future. The ordinance is estimated to affect about 10,000 Phoenix workers, Deputy City Manager Lori Bays says.

Labor union leaders and airport workers applauded the ordinance, according to the story, but urged more action from the city in the future. The approval makes Phoenix the first city in the state to codify heat safety rules for outdoor workers, providing a mechanism by which the city can enforce them.

The Arizona General Contractors Association, which represents the construction industry, opposed the ordinance in a letter sent March 7. The letter called the ordinance redundant and unnecessary because federal regulators are considering regulations that, if passed, would take precedence over the city’s ordinance. The group also criticized the ordinance as unclear, saying phrases like “access” to air conditioning were too vague and that the section on penalties needed to include information on how to appeal.