WORKPLACE TEMPERATURE SAFETY AND INJURY PREVENTION ACT
I. PURPOSE
Establishes workplace standards to prevent temperature-related injuries and illnesses.
Requires employers to implement safety measures, monitoring plans, and emergency response procedures.
Ensures compliance through required training, preventive rest breaks, and enforcement mechanisms.
II. REST BREAK REQUIREMENTS
Employers must provide rest breaks allowing workers to access warmth or cooling.
Meal breaks may count as rest breaks.
Time spent donning or doffing personal protective equipment cannot be counted toward rest breaks.
Walking time to and from break areas must not reduce rest break duration.
Job quotas must be adjusted to allow required breaks.
III. TEMPERATURE-RELATED INJURY AND ILLNESS PREVENTION PLAN (TRIIPP)
Employers must create a site-specific plan addressing temperature-related risks.
Plans must outline policies and procedures for compliance, including:
Heat and cold monitoring.
Protective measures for workers wearing vapor-impermeable clothing.
Emergency protocols.
Employers with more than ten workers must:
Have a written plan.
Designate a temperature safety coordinator.
Plans must be reviewed annually and updated after temperature-related injuries or illnesses.
Plans must be available at the worksite in a language understood by workers.
IV. EMERGENCY RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS
Employers must establish a temperature emergency response plan, including:
Emergency contact procedures.
Designated personnel to invoke emergency measures.
Transport protocols.
Medical response guidelines.
Workers showing signs of heat or cold-related illness must:
Be monitored and relieved from duty.
Be provided first aid or emergency medical attention as needed.
Receive immediate body temperature regulation before emergency responders arrive.
V. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
Workers must receive training before exposure to extreme temperatures and annually thereafter.
Training must include:
Worksite safety protocols.
Break locations.
Hydration and warming areas.
Risk factors and symptoms of temperature-related illness.
Emergency response procedures.
Worker rights under the law.
Supervisors and temperature safety coordinators must receive additional training on compliance and emergency response.
Additional training is required when:
Workplace conditions change.
A worker fails to retain necessary knowledge.
A temperature-related incident occurs.
VI. WORKER PROTECTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT
Employers must implement requirements at no cost to workers, including:
Compensating workers for compliance-related time.
Providing necessary protective equipment.
Employers are prohibited from retaliating against workers exercising their rights.
Violations may result in compensatory and punitive damages.
Courts may consider employer size, financial resources, and violation severity when determining damages.
VII. IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE
The act takes effect April 1, 2026.
If referred to voters via petition, it will be decided in the November 2026 general election.
If approved, the act takes effect upon certification of results.
Summary
The bill requires employers to implement protections for workers
who are exposed to extreme hot and cold temperatures at the worksite, including temperature mitigation measures, rest breaks, and temperature-related injury and illness prevention plans.
