Outdoor workers in NYC increasingly vulnerable to heat: report

New York — Both city and state legislation and public health initiatives are needed to protect outdoor workers in New York City from extreme temperatures and poor air quality, according to a new report.

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander includes those recommendations in the Safeguarding Outdoor Workers in a Changing Climate report. The 48-page report claims climate change has brought more heat waves and wildfire smoke to the city, making outdoor workers more vulnerable to hot or smoggy conditions. 

Around a third of all workers in the city, including those in construction and transportation, have jobs that require them to spend prolonged periods of time outdoors, the report states. It adds that these workers aren’t protected by any labor standards on heat or air quality at the city, state or federal level.

Lander calls for the passage of S1604D, known as the Temperature Extreme Mitigation (TEMP) Act, which would create a statewide workplace standard on heat and cold to cover indoor and outdoor workers in construction, agriculture, landscaping, delivery, food service and worker vehicles. 

Additional recommendations on employer requirements:

• Extend heat protections to all outdoor workers in the city, ensuring safe working conditions during heat waves for sectors not covered by the TEMP Act.
• Set new city labor standards for unsafe air quality, which would require employers to develop air quality illness prevention plans that ensure access to safe air, personal protective equipment and reduced strenuous activities during air quality emergencies.

Among the recommended public health initiatives:

• Collect and report data on workplace impacts of extreme weather to better understand and mitigate risks.
• Develop emergency protocols to protect the safety and health of outdoor workers.
• Expand public bathroom access, especially in areas with large numbers of outdoor workers.
• Establish a PPE distribution program for air quality emergencies in the city.

“This summer was the hottest ever on Earth, breaking last year’s record, and sadly next year will probably be hotter still – our outdoor workers are on the front lines of these increasingly dangerous conditions,” Lander said in a press release. “With rising temperatures and worsening air quality, it’s essential for New York City to have stronger regulations in place to protect workers from the deadly risks of extreme heat.”