HR209: HR209 General Assembly; Workplace Safety and Heat Protection Act; urge passage

25 LC 112 2925 House Resolution 209 By: Representatives Schofield of the 63rd, McClain of the 109th, Scott of the 76th, Jones of the 60th, and Glaize of the 67th A RESOLUTION Urging the Georgia General Assembly to pass LC 46 0977, the Workplace Safety and Heat1 Protection Act, to ensure critical protections for workers facing extreme heat conditions; and2 for other purposes.3 WHEREAS, extreme heat poses severe health risks to workers, including heat exhaustion,4 heat stroke, and other life-threatening heat-related illnesses, disproportionately affecting5 employees in high-exposure industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and6 warehousing; and7 WHEREAS, Georgia is experiencing increasingly extreme heat conditions, with an average8 of 20 more dangerously hot days per year compared to historical averages—a number9 projected to rise due to climate change, increasing the urgency for legislative action; and10 WHEREAS, studies show that workers in high-heat conditions are 50 percent more likely11 to suffer from workplace injuries, and heat-related deaths in the United States have increased12 by nearly 60 percent over the past two decades, underscoring th e escalating dangers of13 unregulated heat exposure in the workplace; and14 H. R. 209 - 1 - 25 LC 112 2925 WHEREAS, Georgia has over 425,000 workers employed in high-risk industries vulnerable15 to extreme heat, many of whom are low-income and lack access to sufficient workplace16 protections, putting their livelihoods and well-being at risk; and17 WHEREAS, federal regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration18 (OSHA) do not currently provide sufficient mandates to address workplace heat exposure,19 leaving Georgia workers without adequate safeguards against extreme temperatures; and20 WHEREAS, failure to pass LC 46 0977 would expose thousands of G eorgia workers to21 preventable heat-related illnesses and fatalities, leading to i ncreased medical costs, lost22 wages, decreased productivity, and strain on emergency medical services, all of which23 negatively impact Georgia's economy and workforce; and24 WHEREAS, implementing a heat illness prevention program, as out lined in LC 46 0977,25 would provide necessary workplace protections, including access to water, shaded areas,26 mandatory rest breaks, risk assessments, employee training, and emergency response plans,27 ensuring the safety and well-being of Georgia's workforce.28 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that29 the members of this body urge the Georgia General Assembly to swiftly pass LC 46 0977,30 the Workplace Safety and Heat Protection Act, to protect Georgia's workers from the dangers31 of extreme heat exposure and to establish Georgia as a national leader in worker safety and32 well-being.33 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized34 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the35 Governor, the Commissioner of Labor, and all members of the Georgia General Assembly.36 H. R. 209 - 2 -