Climate change is driving more frequent and severe extreme weather. Workers are paying the price as cold snaps and heat waves intersect with job duties across utilities, sanitation, emergency services, building maintenance, and delivery.
This post distills the risks, the gaps in cold-weather protections, the evidence behind heat protections, and practical steps employers, unions, and governments can take to keep every worker safe on the job.
Cold-weather risks and regulatory gaps
Recent East Coast snowstorms highlighted how people who keep critical services running—utilities, sanitation, emergency responders, and delivery teams—face frigid conditions that can trigger hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, and other severe injuries.
In the absence of a specific federal cold-weather standard, employers often rely on OSHA’s general duty clause to address hazards. This is supplemented by nonbinding guidance that calls for warm drinks, frequent breaks, acclimatization, and buddy systems.
Why cold protection remains limited
There are no explicit federal cold-stress regulations, and the OSHA general duty clause provides only a framework for hazard prevention.
This leaves meaningful protections uneven across industries and states, with workers at risk during extreme cold events because guidance is advisory rather than enforceable.
Heat hazards and protections in place
Heat is an established and deadly workplace hazard. OSHA estimates about 559 heat-related deaths and nearly 25,000 heat-related illnesses or injuries each year in the United States.
Heat exposure contributes to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and it is linked to higher rates of other injuries such as falls.
Proven preventive measures can dramatically reduce harm: hydration, rest breaks, heat-stress training, gradual acclimatization, and proactive safety planning.
Evidence that protections work
Some states and cities have enacted heat protections for indoor and outdoor workers. Notable examples include California, Oregon, Maryland, and the city of Boston.
The impact is clear: Oregon’s heat deaths declined after rules took effect, and in California, a combination of protections coincided with a 33 percent drop in worker heat deaths from 2010–2014 and a further 51 percent decline from 2015–2020 after improvements.
Policy landscape and what’s ahead
A growing number of states—around a dozen—are considering or advancing bills to require workplace heat measures. Several municipalities have already adopted protections for both indoor and outdoor workers.
Advocates argue that broader adoption is essential to prevent a repeat of last year’s tragedies before the next hot season arrives.
The path to safer workplaces
Employers should act now to implement robust safety measures. Unions, worker groups, and state and local governments are pushing for legally enforceable protections to ensure every worker returns home safely.
Proactive measures are smart business—reducing illness and injury, maintaining staffing reliability, and lowering workers’ compensation costs.
Practical steps for protecting workers in extreme temperatures
Here are actionable steps employers can deploy immediately to mitigate both cold and heat risks:
- Hydration and accessible fluids — provide free, easily accessible water and electrolyte options.
- Rest breaks and cooling/shaded environments — schedule more frequent breaks during heat and create cool zones in cold settings.
- Acclimatization programs — gradually increase exposure for new or returning workers.
- Training on heat and cold stress — educate staff to recognize symptoms and know emergency procedures.
- Buddy systems and monitoring — pair workers to watch for signs of distress in extreme conditions.
- Adjusted scheduling — minimize exposure by adjusting shift times to avoid peak heat or harshest cold when possible.
- Appropriate protective gear — supply properly fitted, temperature-appropriate clothing and PPE.
- Robust emergency response plans — have clear, practiced protocols for rapid medical response in heat and cold events.
Here is the source article for this story: In monster snowstorms or blistering heat, workers need protection