# Plain Language Summary: Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2024

This bill is designed to protect workers and vulnerable people from the dangers of extreme heat. It requires the federal government to establish new safety standards and guidelines to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths, particularly for people who work outdoors or in hot environments like construction sites, farms, warehouses, and delivery services. The bill also focuses on protecting people who are especially vulnerable to heat, including older adults, people with chronic health conditions, and low-income communities that may lack access to air conditioning or cooling centers.

The legislation directs federal agencies to create rules about when workers need breaks, access to water and shade, and how employers should monitor employees for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. It also calls for better public education about heat dangers and requires the government to track and report on heat-related deaths and illnesses so we can understand the scope of the problem. Additionally, the bill supports research into heat illness prevention and may provide funding or resources to help communities prepare for dangerous heat waves, which are becoming more common and more intense due to climate change.

In practical terms, if this bill becomes law, outdoor workers would have stronger legal protections requiring their employers to take heat safety seriously. Communities would get better information and resources to help vulnerable people stay safe during extreme heat events. The bill essentially recognizes that extreme heat is a serious public health threat that deserves the same kind of government attention and regulation as other workplace and environmental hazards.

Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2024

Markey, Edward J.

Preventing Health Emergencies And Temperature-related Illness and Deaths Act of 2023 or the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act of 2023This bill establishes several programs to address the adverse health effects of extreme heat.For example, the bill establishes an interagency committee in the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy to address the health risks of extreme heat through coordinated research, strategic partnerships, and workforce development. It also requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to (1) establish a heat health information system to improve forecasts of extreme heat, and (2) contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study policy, data, and research gaps relating to extreme heat.&nbsp;NOAA may also, in coordination with the interagency committee, award financial assistance to nonprofits, academic institutions, and state, local, and tribal governments to support the ability of communities to mitigate the health effects of extreme heat (e.g., building modifications and educational campaigns).