Trump Admin Freezes Federal Heat Protections Amid Record US Heat — SkimNews
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- Trump administration indefinitely froze Biden-era heat safety regulations in January 2025, halting mandates for water, shade, breaks, and heat illness prevention plans for outdoor and indoor workers.
- House Republicans advanced legislation to block the Department of Labor from enacting any federal heat exposure protections, aligning with state-level efforts in Florida and Texas to prohibit local heat rules.
- OSHA estimates over 550 U.S. workers die annually from heat exposure, with nearly 28,000 injured, while CDC data shows more than 2,300 heat-related deaths in 2023 and 2024 combined—the highest in 45 years.
- Julie Su, former Biden labor secretary and current NYC deputy mayor for economic justice, called for a federal heat standard and co-issued city-level protections in June 2025, citing the White House’s inaction.
- California’s outdoor heat protections reduced heat-related workplace fatalities by at least 33% since 2010, according to a December 2025 Health Affairs study, highlighting the impact of enforceable standards.
- Workers, including sheet metal worker Esther Minton and former cafeteria worker Donald Nesbit, described extreme on-the-job conditions, with kitchen temperatures reaching 140°F and bodies 'fighting hard' to stay cool and hydrated.
Why it matters: With federal action stalled and only seven states enforcing heat protections, workers in high-risk industries face growing danger as temperatures rise. The absence of a national standard shifts responsibility to local governments despite evidence that regulations like California’s reduce fatalities by at least 33%, creating uneven risk across state lines.
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