This bill directs the Secretary of Labor to create occupational safety standards to protect workers from heat-related illnesses and injuries. The legislation requires employers to provide safe working conditions free from hazardous heat stress and mandates the Secretary to develop comprehensive standards within one year of enactment, with options including engineering controls, adjusted work schedules, personal protective equipment, employee training, and mandatory access to water, rest breaks, and shade. The bill emphasizes worker protection and worker participation in planning, requires employers to pay for safety measures and rest periods, and mandates that training and communications be provided in workers' native languages. The standards will have the same legal force as existing workplace safety rules under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, with enforcement mechanisms including a four-year statute of limitations for violations and whistleblower protections for employees reporting safety concerns. The legislation authorizes whatever funding is necessary to implement these requirements, and it requires the Labor Department to update its National Agricultural Workers Survey and report to Congress within one year on implementation progress.
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