“There’s ample data going back decades that shows that Black and Latino workers have the most dangerous, dirtiest job assignments, and immigrant Latino workers typically face a higher risk of both fatal and nonfatal injuries on the job,” said Jessica Martinez, Los Angeles-based co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

“The Supreme Court majority, over the opposition of two justices, let stand the rejection of these claims, which would have catastrophically hobbled OSHA’s mandate to protect worker safety,” said Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director of the Somerville, Massachusetts-based National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

Darryl Alexander, an industrial hygienist and advisor for the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, said Silver’s death underscores a greater need for employers to take heat illnesses seriously. Though many waste operators take meticulous steps to protect their workers, she said, some employers aren’t prioritizing heat safety measures, either because they aren’t required to by law or are not aware of the specific conditions their employees endure.

Perez's death has caused outrage across the country, with activists in Mississippi demanding Mar-Jac be held accountable for the teen's death less than two weeks after he was killed. In April, another group, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health named the company to its Dirty Dozen, claiming Mar-Jac is one of the country's most dangerous places to work.

Scott Schneider with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health says the draft does not address workers in specific types of clothing…“If you are working and you are wearing impermeable clothing, like you’re wearing a Tychem suit like you’re doing asbestos abatement, or you’re out in the field and wearing protective clothing to protect you from pesticide use, that clothing can prevent you sweating and that will increase your heat stress risk.”

Scott Schneider is one of Maryland's members of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH). He says the push for heat stress standards in the workplace is happening on the federal level too. But the process of changing Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) regulations takes significantly longer. Schneider showed us the 33 steps it takes for OSHA to add a new rule.

Over the course of the past several months, Walmart has faced several instances of scrutiny over its labor practices. It was named to the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH)’s “Dirty Dozen” list earlier this year. The organization highlighted what it considers unsafe working practices and lack of care for employees’ wellbeing going on inside Walmart.

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health released a statement on the audit that says, in part:

“After years of failing to ensure workers’ safety on the job, Arizona’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health is moving in the right direction and operating with more staff resources. But we’re still a long way from where we need to be, with far too few inspections and findings of enforcement delays.”

"My sense is definitely, in keeping with climate change, that more workers are complaining about higher and higher heat and humidity," said Rick Rabin, trainer and technical consultant at the workers' rights nonprofit Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH).

The proposal is a long-awaited move in the agency’s efforts to keep workers safe in soaring temperatures. The draft of the document was hailed by worker advocacy groups that say federal OSHA has lagged behind states such as Arizona and California in creating guidelines for employers whose workers face such risks as heat stroke. The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health issued a statement on July 2 calling OSHA’s announcement “a critical step in protecting millions of workers from heat-related illnesses and injuries.”

"These protections ensure that employers proactively safeguard their workforce,” says Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. “Heat-related illnesses are preventable, and no worker should endure unsafe conditions. This rule provides a clear framework for promoting a culture of safety and responsibility."

Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, Co-Chair of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed heat rule.

The National Safety Council (NSC) and National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) both released statements supporting the proposed measure. The NSC pointed out that recommendations it has long advocated for are included in OSHA’s proposal. Meanwhile, the National COSH was “motivated and encouraged” by the news, applauding its “clear framework for promoting a culture of safety and responsibility.”

“It couldn’t have come a moment too soon,” Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, told Work-Bites, adding that the proposed rules will protect “untold numbers” of workers.

”It is absolutely asinine that we have legislators in Tallahassee dictating what local communities should be deciding in their own backyards,” said Esteban Wood, policy director for WeCount, a nonprofit that advocates for immigrant workers in South Florida. “We need to be incredibly responsive to protecting the health and safety of the workers who grow our food, who build our cities, who keep our economies running.”

Especially not as some of the world’s best known and biggest companies are the worst offenders — the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) released its “Dirty Dozen 2023” list that included names like Amazon, FedEx, Norfolk Southern and Tesla.

Workers’ safety groups praised the rule. “We are motivated and encouraged by the latest news from OSHA, as it signifies a vital advancement in worker safety,” said Jessica Martinez, co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, a coalition of worker and safety advocates. “Extreme heat poses serious risks, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke and fatalities, affecting both outdoor and indoor environments. As climate change raises global temperatures, comprehensive heat protection standards are increasingly urgent.”

"It's a huge deal. And especially now that we're entering the summer months, we need these protections. There will be more awareness around this. We're expecting employers to be able to comply," said Jessica Martinez of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

“This rule provides a clear framework for promoting a culture of safety and responsibility,” Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director of National COSH, said in a statement shared with Construction Dive, a sister publication to HR Dive.

“We have long advocated for an OSHA heat standard,” Jessica Martinez, co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, said in response to the proposed national rules. “We are motivated and encouraged by the latest news from OSHA, as it signifies a vital advancement in worker safety. ... As climate change raises global temperatures, comprehensive heat protection standards are increasingly urgent."