Maryland Adopts State-level Heat Standards

October 1, 2024
Thermometer shows the temperature is heat in the sky

Maryland State Heat Standard Takes Effect

  • Maryland’s new heat standard went into effect on Monday, joining California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Minnesota in codifying heat stress regulation for when temperatures exceed 80 degrees.
  • Workers now must be provided with at least 32 oz of water, shaded breaks, and training on the symptoms of heat illness, including prevention. 
  • Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu said the regulations are largely a matter of “common sense.” “We know, with the high heat that we’ve been seeing in recent years, that it’s really important to protect workers, and it’s also important for businesses to have clear guidance. So we think we’ve achieved that with this new rule,” said Wu.
  • Earlier this year, the state’s labor department and its stakeholders drew up a new set of standards in July that the state has now adopted.
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NYC AFL-CIO Backs Council’s Worker Fatality Bill

  • A New York City Council bill that would require the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to establish and maintain an online, publicly available database of information related to workplace fatalities that occur in the city has received the public backing of the AFL-CIO’s local Central Leadership Council.
  • Testifying last week before the City Council’s Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection in support of Intro 865, NYC CLC Chief of Staff Brendan Griffith said that the legislation represents a proactive approach to preventing workplace injuries and deaths.
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