# Plain Language Summary: Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021

This bill is designed to protect workers and vulnerable people from the dangers of extreme heat. It requires the federal government to develop and enforce stronger standards to keep people safe when temperatures get dangerously high. The bill focuses on outdoor workers like construction crews, farm workers, and landscapers, as well as indoor workers in hot environments like warehouses and factories. It also addresses heat risks for vulnerable populations including elderly people, children, and those with existing health conditions.

The bill directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is the federal agency responsible for workplace safety, to create specific heat illness prevention standards. These standards would require employers to provide things like adequate water, rest breaks in shaded or cool areas, and medical monitoring for workers showing signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. The bill also calls for better tracking of heat-related illnesses and deaths so the government can understand how big the problem really is and identify which industries and regions are most affected.

Beyond the workplace, the bill encourages communities to develop heat response plans, especially for people who are most vulnerable to heat-related emergencies. This includes making sure elderly people in nursing homes, homeless individuals, and others at high risk have access to cooling centers and emergency services during extreme heat events. The bill also promotes research into heat illness prevention and requires better public education about recognizing and responding to heat emergencies.

Essentially, this bill treats extreme heat as a serious public health threat that requires coordinated action from employers, government agencies, and communities to prevent deaths and illnesses that are increasingly common as temperatures rise.

Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021

Markey, Edward J.

Preventing Health Emergencies And Temperature-related Illness and Deaths Act of 2021 or the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2021 This bill provides statutory authority for, and otherwise revises, the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Program to improve the capacity of the United States to prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate health risks of extreme heat. The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must carry out this program. (Currently, the program is jointly administered by NOAA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) Under the bill, the program may provide financial assistance for projects to increase awareness, education, and research about extreme heat events and mitigate the human health impacts of those events. In awarding the assistance, the program must prioritize historically disadvantaged communities and communities with significant heat disparities associated with race, ethnicity, or income. Other components of the program include grants for research on climate and health and a study of relevant policy, research, and data gaps concerning extreme heat information and response. The bill also establishes an interagency committee within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategic plan and otherwise coordinate federal activities related to the program.