New Mexico Mulls Heat Rule

New Mexico’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau has submitted a petition to the state’s Environmental Improvement Board to adopt a proposed rule on occupational heat illness and injury prevention.
The state Health department reported there were more than 800 heat-related emergency room visits in 2024. Most of the visits were concentrated in the southern and northwest portions of the state.
Under the proposed rule, employers are required to take measures to protect workers from heat-related illness and injury, including: Taking time to acclimate to hot environments; Providing access to clean, cool drinking water throughout the workday; and, Mandating frequent rest periods in the shade.
“New Mexico is both hotter and drier than in years past due to the impacts of climate change,” said Kristy Peck, acting occupational health and safety bureau chief. “Employers need to protect their employees from the reality of heat-related injuries,” according to the report.
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Washington State’s House of Representatives has passed stronger protections against healthcare workplace violence.
HB 1162 would require healthcare facilities to investigate all incidents of workplace violence, analyze systemic causes, and update their prevention plans annually to ensure safer environments for frontline healthcare workers.
While Washington requires healthcare settings to develop workplace violence prevention plans, this bill would ensure compliance with state and federal privacy laws when collecting and reporting data, according to an announcement from sponsor Rep. Mari Leavitt.
If passed by the state Senate and signed into law, the new requirements would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.
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