As California enters a new phase The dangerous holiday heat wave As extreme heat threatens to send millions of residents to triple-digit temperatures, state and federal officials are vowing to do more to combat this growing threat — and rising cost.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, announced it would pursue a new law. Proposed rules Nationally, the regulations would protect indoor and outdoor workers from high temperatures. If finalized, the regulations would set temperature-based standards for an estimated 35 million workers in places such as warehouses, kitchens, farms and construction sites.
The proposal, which has been in the works since 2021, would apply to workplaces where the heat index regularly tops 80 degrees, according to senior administration officials. It would follow similar steps by California, which in 2006 became the first state in the nation to install permanent heat protection for outdoor workers and Approved temperature regulation for indoor workers Just last month.
Officials said such rules are needed as more people are dying due to extreme heat and the country is grappling with more frequent and severe weather events due to climate change. Last year, the US saw record heat 28 disasters with losses exceeding $1 billionWhich caused total damages of more than $90 billion.
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At the same time, the California Department of Insurance released a first-of-its-kind analysis this week, revealing Insurance losses due to extreme heat events amount to $7.7 billion
This adds to growing evidence about the harm of extreme heat – increasing heat-related illnesses and deaths impacts on biodiversity, economic impacts, agricultural losses and damage to infrastructure. According to the National Weather Service, heat has killed more people in the past 30 years than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined, making it the deadliest of all climate hazards in the US. Last year was the most The hottest year ever recorded on the planet,
“Extreme heat is a silent, growing disaster that threatens our health, economy, and way of life in California,” said a statement from Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “This report brings to light the staggering hidden costs of extreme heat events, underscoring the urgency of our efforts to create an unprecedented Statewide Heat Wave Ranking and Early Warning SystemWe must prioritize resilience-building efforts and innovative insurance solutions to protect our state from the increasing impacts and financial risks of extreme heat.”
In fact, experts have been calling for more stringent monitoring of heat-related deaths for years. 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation It showed that extreme heat deaths in the state are consistently undercounted. Following that investigation, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law with a heat wave ranking system similar to the one used for hurricanes. The system is set to go into effect by January 1, 2025.
Newsom has taken another initiative in recent years Extreme heat awareness campaignUrban greening programs and other efforts to help residents prepare for and adapt to increasing heat; however, some of those programs were cut due to this year’s budget deficit.
While the $7.7 billion cost associated with the heat events is substantial, the insurance department estimated that the actual losses could be far higher. While some types of insurance cover the costs associated with extreme heat — such as health coverage, workers’ compensation insurance and crop insurance — there are gaps that will require new mechanisms and investments, the agency said. The state currently faces a different insurance plan. Insurance crisis related to rising incidence of forest fires,
Other heat-related costs included labor productivity losses, which ranged from $7.7 million to $210 million per incident, according to the report. Infrastructure repair costs due to heat-related damage ranged from $3.8 million to $35 million per incident, with the main impacts on roads and rail, while power outages during heat waves caused economic losses of up to $230 million.
One of the heat events included in the report – a long-lasting heat wave in September 2022 – pushed California’s power grid to the brink and Emergency Text Message The state’s energy operators urged residents to conserve electricity, narrowly avoiding blackouts.
It was later determined that the same heat wave 395 Californians killedThe worst affected are Latinos and working-class people ages 25 to 64, according to state health officials.
The Insurance Department’s report also outlined similar extreme heat patterns. affects disproportionately This includes communities of color, low-income communities, and vulnerable populations like seniors and children.
Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve, said the report’s conservative estimates are “nevertheless staggering.”
“Hot days aren’t just an inconvenience — for hundreds of thousands of Californians, extreme heat is a matter of life and death,” Parfrey said, adding that the loss in labor productivity should be a wake-up call for industry and policymakers. “The lesson is this: Investing in cooling solutions today will save money and lives tomorrow.”
But White House officials said strengthening workplace safety would also help save lives.
OSHA’s proposed rule, which will be sent to the Federal Register and made available for public comment, would require workplaces to establish plans for preventing heat-related illnesses and injuries that would be evaluated at least once a year; providing workers with access to drinking water and cooling areas and responding to symptoms of heat-related illnesses and emergencies, among other measures.
For temperatures of 90 degrees or higher, additional safety measures will be implemented, including mandatory rest breaks and monitoring for symptoms.
States such as California, which already have workplace heat regulations in place, must meet minimum federal requirements, but they can go further, officials said. States such as Florida and Texas — which have passed laws preventing cities or employers from setting heat regulations — must also comply with the federal rule or face hefty penalties for violations.
The proposed rule joins other efforts by the Biden administration to tackle worsening heat and climate threats, including a new rule heat exposure device assistance from the National Weather Service; cooling assistance programs for low-income families; and expanded investments in trees and green spaces.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also announced Tuesday that it would provide $1 billion in funding for its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to help communities reduce risks from disasters and natural hazards, including extreme heat, wildfires, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes and floods.
The funding covers 656 projects across the country, including significant investments in underserved communities, agency officials said.
However, FEMA is facing pressure from environmental groups and labor organizations that want it to Broadening the definition of “major disasters” It would also cover extreme heat, which advocates say would open up additional avenues for funding during heat waves and help states and communities better prepare for rising temperatures.
Already this year, FEMA and other federal agencies have responded to more than a dozen disasters, including devastating wildfires in New Mexico and historic flooding in Iowa and Minnesota, officials said.
They are currently keeping an eye on Storm Beryl – which has become the first storm to reach Category 4 in the month of June – as well as the record-breaking heat expected across much of the country this week.
But heat waves still pose unique threats, with the average duration of the heat wave season now 46 days longer than it was in the 1960s, according to a new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Officials in California have warned that the coming heat wave could also lead to wildfires because of rising temperatures, as well as fireworks, barbecues and other activities associated with the Fourth of July. State officials are warning that Power cuts are possible Temperatures could reach 110 degrees in some counties in Northern California.
Temperatures can also reach 110 degrees in parts of the Central Valley and Antelope Valley, while temperatures can reach 121 degrees in the Coachella Valley and 125 degrees in Death Valley.
Forecasters said the heat wave is expected to continue for several days — and parts of the Golden State aren’t likely to see relief until at least early next week.
