Congress may kill the federal heat rule before OSHA can

July was the hottest month on record across the United States, with multiple heat domes trapping dangerous temperatures over large regions. Phoenix experienced its second-longest heat warning ever on record, yet Congress is advancing a bill to block federal workplace heat protections before OSHA can even finalize the rule. Grist reports that H.R. 6213, introduced by Republican Representative Mark Messmer of Indiana, would prevent the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from enacting a requirement that employers provide workers with rest, shade, and water access during extreme heat. The proposed rule would mandate safety plans when the heat index reaches eighty degrees Fahrenheit — the threshold beyond which most occupational heat deaths occur. Additional protections would be required when the heat index exceeds ninety degrees. Messmer characterizes the rule as unnecessarily rigid, but legal experts note that Congress moving to block a rule before it's even finalized is unusual and marks a significant procedural shift in workplace safety regulation.

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