EN 
ES March 6, 2024
If passed, the bill would require certain employers to provide heat safety protections to employers and collect heat safety related data
AUSTIN – Texas State Representative Armando Walle has filed House Bill 3982 also known as the Worker Heat Illness, Injury, and Death Prevention Act, which seeks to provide a consistent statewide regulation protecting workers from long-standing but rapidly worsening threat of heat-related hazards in the workplace. The San Antonio Current reported that in 2024, 536 deaths in Texas were caused or attributed to extreme heat.
If passed, the bill would require certain employers to provide heat safety protections to employees and collect heat safety related data while providing administrative penalties for failure to meet these requirements.
Workers Defense Action Fund worked with Rep. Armando Walle to draft the bill, which applies to employers whose employees perform work activities when the heat index at their worksite equals or exceeds 80 degrees fahrenheit, regardless of worksite location or type of employment. It does not apply to emergency operations, including disaster response or restoration of essential services.
“We are proud to have worked with Rep. Walle to center the best interest of everyday Texans and ensure that heat safety is part of the discussion during the current legislative session through this bill,” said Workers Defense Action Fund Policy Director David Chincanchan. “We can all recognize that our summers are getting increasingly hotter for longer periods of time.
“This makes the Texas heat dangerous for anyone, but especially for those who work outdoors and have to endure the elements with little to no rest breaks or opportunities to drink water and stay hydrated,” Chincanchan said. “Because of the statewide preemption law in Texas, city and county leaders can no longer implement life-saving measures for their own residents and workers. This bill will help ensure the safety of outdoor workers and all residents across Texas.”
Rep. Walle will speak about the Worker Heat Illness, Injury, and Death Prevention Act, during the March 24th Workers Defense Blueprint for a Better Texas Day of Action at the Texas Capitol, which will bring the organization’s staff, members, and allies together for a day of lobbying and rallying for a better Texas for all.
“While OSHA’s federal heat standard sits in limbo and local control has been taken away, the need for statewide heat safety protections for Texans has become increasingly important,” Rep. Walle said. “Our state cannot risk any more lives. That’s why I’m proud to announce the filing of HB3982 to ensure that all Texans, regardless of whether they work outdoors or not, can make it back home safely at the end of their shift.”
Reporters interested in interviews with Rep. Walle or Workers Defense staff ahead of the March 24th event should reach out to Workers Defense Communications Director Christine Bolaños at christine@wdactionfund.org or at 512-466-9258
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Workers Defense Action Fund is a member-led organization that mobilizes Latine voters in Texas to build governing power and fight for worker and immigrant justice.