Posted on Jul 22, 2023
Amid a record heat wave, Texas construction workers lose their right to rest breaks
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https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/07/21/ [login to see] /amid-a-record-heat-wave-texas-construction-workers-lose-their-right-to-rest-brea
A week after construction workers in Austin, Texas, learned they were about to lose their right to rest breaks, the city reached a record-high heat index of 118 degrees. From July 9 to 19, the state capital saw an unprecedented, 11-day streak of temperatures reaching 105 degrees or more.
The Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Service has responded to 410 heat-related incidents just since June 1, according to a spokesperson, Capt. Christa Stedman. Among them: A middle-aged man, working outdoors, who called for help after experiencing signs of heat exhaustion.
"It progressed so quickly into heat stroke that, between the time he called 911 and the time that the paramedics arrived on scene, he was fully unconscious and his core temperature was over 106," Stedman said.
Construction worker Mario Ontiveros risks the same outcome. Because he works in Dallas, a local ordinance gives him the right to at least a 10-minute rest break every four hours. But this is the last summer he'll get to claim it.
A week after construction workers in Austin, Texas, learned they were about to lose their right to rest breaks, the city reached a record-high heat index of 118 degrees. From July 9 to 19, the state capital saw an unprecedented, 11-day streak of temperatures reaching 105 degrees or more.
The Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Service has responded to 410 heat-related incidents just since June 1, according to a spokesperson, Capt. Christa Stedman. Among them: A middle-aged man, working outdoors, who called for help after experiencing signs of heat exhaustion.
"It progressed so quickly into heat stroke that, between the time he called 911 and the time that the paramedics arrived on scene, he was fully unconscious and his core temperature was over 106," Stedman said.
Construction worker Mario Ontiveros risks the same outcome. Because he works in Dallas, a local ordinance gives him the right to at least a 10-minute rest break every four hours. But this is the last summer he'll get to claim it.
Amid a record heat wave, Texas construction workers lose their right to rest breaks
Posted from npr.orgPosted in these groups: 
Construction
State of Texas
Construction State of Texas
Posted 9 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."HB 2127 — which critics and supporters call the "Death Star Bill" for its power to obliterate local control — will also strike down construction-worker protections in southeast Texas, said Paul Puente, executive secretary of the Houston Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council. Earlier this year, the Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously adopted a Contractor Safety Record Policy, which requires managers and workers on most county construction projects to get safety training.
While labor unions can still negotiate for rest breaks, Puente said HB 2127 will negatively impact construction safety as a whole.
"Science has already shown that individuals need to have time to take a break, collect their thoughts, and then return back to work to ensure a safe working environment," he said.
Without allotted rest breaks in extreme heat, he said, workers can easily become fatigued, disoriented, dehydrated — effects that endanger their lives."...
..."HB 2127 — which critics and supporters call the "Death Star Bill" for its power to obliterate local control — will also strike down construction-worker protections in southeast Texas, said Paul Puente, executive secretary of the Houston Gulf Coast Building and Construction Trades Council. Earlier this year, the Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously adopted a Contractor Safety Record Policy, which requires managers and workers on most county construction projects to get safety training.
While labor unions can still negotiate for rest breaks, Puente said HB 2127 will negatively impact construction safety as a whole.
"Science has already shown that individuals need to have time to take a break, collect their thoughts, and then return back to work to ensure a safe working environment," he said.
Without allotted rest breaks in extreme heat, he said, workers can easily become fatigued, disoriented, dehydrated — effects that endanger their lives."...
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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