President Joe Biden heralded the nation's first-ever proposal to protect workers from heat as a lifesaving measure at a time when searing temperatures are killing more Americans than any other disaster.
The draft rule is haunted by a 50-year-old loophole that would prevent about 7.9 million workers, mostly public employees in 23 states, from being covered by OSHA protections.
The loophole not only impacts the heat rule but also federal safety regulations concerning toxic chemicals, ladder safety, trench protection, and more for public employees in states not covered by OSHA.
Public-sector employees in 23 states are left without safety investigations, citations, or lessons learned if they get hurt or killed on the job, in contrast to private employees who benefit from OSHA protections.
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