Guest ContributorA new task force on workplace safety has been formed by an executive order from Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs. The task force will be comprised of labor groups, occupational safety advocates, and private industry representatives, including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Arizona Manufacturers Council.
The task force will be responsible for drafting and recommending heat guidelines for employers before the end of the year, building on the state Industrial Commission’s Heat Stress State Emphasis Program (SEP) that was launched in July 2023, which was created to reduce heat-related illnesses and injuries in the workplace through inspections, training, and compliance assistance.
“We are taking action to protect Arizonans from heat risk in the workplace,” said Hobbs said. “Whether building our homes, growing our produce, or manufacturing the next advanced technology, Arizonans deserve to be safe at work.”
The Chamber and AMC will be represented by Grace Appelbe.
“Arizona’s booming economy represents a unique mix of industries across the state and in diverse climates, requiring Arizona-driven solutions for sound policy, not one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington,” she said. “The Arizona Chamber and Manufacturers Council applaud Governor Hobbs for bringing partners together across a wide variety of industries and areas of expertise to build on existing Arizona-based best practices and create clear guidelines to keep our state ahead on industry-informed, practical heat safety measures.”
Also participating in the task force are organized labor groups AFSCME, Ironworkers Local 75, and Unite Here Local 11. Unite Here’s political arm, Worker Power, has recently opposed several economic development initiatives across the Valley, including a new Axon campus in Scottsdale and zoning for the VAI Resort in Glendale.
Similar initiatives in surrounding states have resulted in new heat mitigation proposals.
The New Mexico Environment Department last month announced it is proposing a rule that employers must establish a heat risk and illness plan that would require job creators to conduct a heat exposure assessment and implement control measures like access to water, paid rest breaks, cooling areas, and personnel monitoring.
New Mexico business community advocates, including the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the New Mexico Associated General Contractors, have expressed opposition to the proposal, arguing that mandatory rest breaks at 90°F for construction workers are problematic because the state’s summer temperatures often exceed that threshold and would require a 40-minute paid rest break every 20 minutes of work, which would disrupt job sites.
Heat mitigation regulations also exist in California, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington.
The Nevada Assembly last month passed Assembly Bill 96, which requires two counties in that state to include a heat mitigation plan as part of their master plan. “Arizona’s construction industry has long navigated heat as a factor on worksites and developed best practices that prioritize safety for all employees and keep business going during the hot summer months,” said David Martin, Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors of America and Task Force Member. “Governor Hobbs is taking the right next step for the state in developing Employer Guidelines to clarify OSHA requirements, and AGC looks forward to contributing its industry experience and expertise to the Task Force and its ultimate recommendation.”
Danny Seiden
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