As California enters a dangerous holiday heat wave that will see millions of residents face triple-digit temperatures, state and federal officials are vowing to do more to combat the worsening threat and rising costs of extreme heat.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it would move forward with a proposed rule nationwide to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat exposure. If finalized, the regulations would set temperature-based standards for some 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 heat indices regularly rise above 80 degrees, according to senior administration officials. A similar move was made in California, which in 2006 became the first U.S. state to establish permanent heat protection measures for outdoor workers. Approved indoor worker heating regulations Just last month.
Officials say such rules are needed as extreme heat kills more people and the nation grapples with more frequent and severe weather events caused by climate change. Last year, a record 28 disasters occurred in the United States with losses exceeding $1 billion, causing total losses of more than $90 billion.
Positive and impactful reporting on climate change, environment, health and science.
Meanwhile, the California Department of Insurance this week released a first-of-its-kind analysis showing $7.7 billion in insured losses related to extreme heat events over the past decade. The report quantifies the uninsured and insured costs of seven recent extreme heat events in the state and highlights the need for adaptive strategies.
There is growing evidence of the toll of extreme heat – from increasing heat-related illness and death, to biodiversity impacts, economic impacts, agricultural losses and infrastructure damage. Over the past 30 years, heat has killed more people than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined, making it the deadliest of all climate disasters in the United States, according to the National Weather Service. Last year was the hottest year on record for Earth.
“Extreme heat is a silent, escalating disaster that threatens our health, economy and way of life in California,” Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in a statement. The report reveals the staggering hidden costs of extreme heat events and underscores the urgency of our efforts to create groundbreaking heat wave rankings and early warning systems across the state. We must prioritize resilience-building efforts and innovative insurance solutions. Protect our state from the growing impacts and financial risks of extreme heat.
In fact, experts have been pushing for tighter monitoring of heat deaths for years, and a 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that extreme heat deaths in the state have long been underreported. Following the investigation, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill to create a hurricane-like heat wave ranking system. The system is expected to be in place on January 1, 2025.
Newsom has also launched extreme heat awareness campaigns, urban greening programs and other efforts in recent years to help residents prepare for and adapt to worsening heat. However, due to this year’s budget deficit, some of these programs were cut.
While the $7.7 billion in losses associated with heat events is significant, the Department of Insurance estimates the true losses are likely to be higher. The agency said that while some types of insurance do cover costs related to extreme heat, such as health insurance, workers’ compensation insurance and crop insurance, there are gaps that require new mechanisms and investments. The state is currently facing another insurance crisis related to worsening wildfires.
Other costs associated with heat include lost labor productivity, which ranged from $7.7 million to $210 million per event, the report said. Infrastructure repair costs range from $3.8 million to $35 million per incident of heat-related damage, primarily affecting roads and rail, while power outages during heat waves have significant economic impacts of up to $230 million.
One of the heat events covered in the report — an ongoing heat wave in September 2022 — pushed California’s power grid to the brink and prompted the state’s energy operator to send emergency text messages asking residents to conserve power, which was narrowly avoided. power failure.
The same heat wave was later determined to have killed 395 Californians, according to state health officials, who also reported that Latinos and the working-age population between the ages of 25 and 64 were hardest hit by the heat wave.
The Department of Insurance report also highlights the disproportionate impact of extreme heat on communities of color, low-income communities and vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children.
Climate Resolve executive director Jonathan Parfrey said the report’s admittedly conservative estimates “remain shocking”.
“Hot weather is more than just an inconvenience, for hundreds of thousands of Californians, extreme heat can be a matter of life or death,” Palfrey said, adding that the loss of labor productivity alone 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 say stronger workplace protections will also help save lives.
OSHA’s proposed rule, which will be submitted to the Federal Register for public comment, would require workplaces to develop heat stroke and injury prevention plans that would be evaluated at least annually; include, among other measures, providing workers with drinking water and cooling areas, as well as response Heat stroke symptoms and emergencies.
When temperatures reach 90 degrees or higher, additional protective measures are triggered, including mandatory breaks and symptom monitoring.
Officials say states like California already have workplace heating regulations that must meet federal minimum requirements but can go further. States like Florida and Texas have passed laws prohibiting cities or employers from setting heating rules and must also comply with federal rules or face stiff penalties for noncompliance.
The proposed rule joins other efforts by the Biden administration to address worsening heat and climate hazards, including a new heat risk tool from the National Weather Service; a cooling assistance program for low-income households and expanded support for Investment in trees and green space.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also announced Tuesday that it will provide $1 billion in funding for its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program to help communities reduce the risk of disasters and natural disasters, including extreme heat, wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, earthquakes and natural disasters . flood.
Agency officials said the funding includes 656 projects across the country, including significant investments in disadvantaged communities.
However, FEMA continues to face pressure from environmental and labor groups to expand its definition of “major disaster” to include extreme heat, which advocates say would open up additional funding channels during heat waves. and help states and communities better prepare for rising temperatures.
Officials say FEMA and other federal agencies have responded to more than a dozen disasters this year, including devastating wildfires in New Mexico and historic flooding in Iowa and Minnesota.
They are currently monitoring Hurricane Berrier, which became the first hurricane ever to reach Category 4 in June, and record-breaking temperatures that will suffocate much of the country this week.
But heat waves still pose a unique danger, with the average length of the heat wave season now 46 days longer than in the 1960s, according to a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency.
In California, officials warned that the coming heat wave could also lead to wildfires as soaring temperatures coincide with fireworks, barbecues and other Fourth of July-related activities. State officials warned of possible power outages in some Northern California counties, where temperatures could soar to 110 degrees.
Parts of the Central Valley and Antelope Valley could also climb to 110 degrees, while the Coachella Valley could hit 121 degrees and Death Valley could reach 125 degrees.
Forecasters say the heat wave is expected to last for several days and may not ease in parts of the Golden State until at least early next week.
