Before joining National COSH earlier this year, COSHCON was something I had only heard about from afar. Working as a consultant in the NYC labor movement, I knew it was a respected, bilingual gathering that brought together workers, organizers, and health and safety leaders, but it was still just a concept to me, something other people experienced.
Upon my arrival at Reagan International Airport in the Nation’s Capital on March 18, 2025, I was greeted by National Council of Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) Executive Director Jessica Martinez, who I was meeting in person for the first time since completing National COSH “We Rise!” Workers Leadership Training and being elected to the Board of NCOSH.
The city of Phoenix is adding more protections for outdoor workers exposed to extreme heat. The updates to Phoenix’s workplace heat rules come as the Industrial Commission of Arizona is considering implementing heat safety rules that would apply to workers statewide. That process is ongoing.
National COSH joined Arizona workers and advocates at an ADOSH public hearing to call for a statewide, enforceable heat standard to protect workers from extreme heat exposure.
Testimony at the hearing focused on the need for guaranteed access to water, shade, and rest for workers exposed to extreme heat. Participants argued that voluntary guidance and reliance on OSHA’s General Duty Clause have not adequately protected workers from heat-related illness and injury.
Dozens of workers and safety advocates packed a meeting on Wednesday at the state’s Industrial Commission, pushing back against proposed heat protection guidelines.
Workers say the guidelines don’t go far enough to protect them in the dangerous summer heat. They instead want to see state officials adopt formal rules with penalties attached.
They are part of the Arizona Heat Standards Coalition, which delivered a petition to the governor recently calling for enforceable heat standards so that employers who don’t follow them can be held accountable.
