Trump Administration Rewrites Heat Rules, Curbs OSHA Inspections as U.S. Faces Another Heat Dome
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 1
Trump Administration Rewrites Heat Rules, Curbs OSHA Inspections as U.S. Faces Another Heat Dome
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 1
Summary
Federal officials are moving to scrap Biden-era workplace heat rules that would have required breaks, water and shade for workers during extreme temperatures.
OSHA is also scaling back heat-focused inspections that Biden appointees had expanded, though the administration has not detailed how far enforcement will be reduced.
Republicans in Congress are weighing legislation that would go further by barring the Labor Department from adopting the Biden heat plan or similar rules.
Business groups say employers already protect workers, while labor organizations warn weaker oversight could raise risks in fields and warehouses, especially as immigration crackdowns may deter complaints.
Record heat has persisted across the country this summer, and another heat dome is pushing dangerous temperatures across the South and Midwest.