NPR

As Planet Warms, Advocates Urge U.S. To Set Rules To Protect Workers From Heat

Extreme heat events will become more frequent and more intense in coming decades. Advocates want the federal government to set enforceable heat standards to protect workers.

Two years ago, James Klenk of Freehold, N.J. suffered a heat stroke and went into renal failure after several days sorting and unloading heavy boxes in the back of a UPS truck. He had been a driver for UPS for 14 years and almost died that day.

Klenk is one of countless workers across the country enduring symptoms of heat stress. High temperatures can pose health threats on a daily basis, including confusion, fatigue, and dehydration. More extreme heat can lead to heat stroke and organ failure, depending on a worker's environment and how quickly treatment is administered.

In 1972, and again in 1986, and in 2016, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set a specific standard to prevent heat

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
A Baltimore Bridge Collapse Timeline; Disney And DeSantis Settle Legal Battle
Two bodies were recovered from the Baltimore bridge collapse and investigators released a timeline of events. The Walt Disney Company and Gov. Ron DeSantis have settled their lawsuits.
NPR3 min readPolitical Ideologies
An Appeals Court Says 'Undated' Pennsylvania Ballots Don't Count
A federal appeals panel says mailed ballots arriving on time but in envelopes without dates handwritten by Pennsylvania voters shouldn't be counted. This case is expected to reach the Supreme Court.
NPR4 min readAmerican Government
California Judge Recommends Disbarment Of Pro-Trump Attorney John Eastman
A California judge found that attorney John Eastman committed "exceptionally serious ethical violations" in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and recommended disbarment.

Related Books & Audiobooks