The heat is here, and after new actions from the president Joe Bidenmore protective measures are being introduced for people who work outdoors.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<
Summer has already begun in the United States with scorching heat.
Many areas, including northeast Florida and southeast Georgia, have seen record or near-record temperatures in recent weeks.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Action News Jax Washington correspondent Kirstin Garriss learns more about how the U.S. government is addressing the weather and keeping workers safe.
Biden on Tuesday announced new measures to protect workers from the effects of extreme heat, as forecasts for the rest of the summer call for higher than average temperatures across the country.
On Tuesday, the White House established the nation’s first federal extreme heat safety standard.
Read: DeSantis signs law banning local governments from imposing requirements on workers’ heat exposure and wages
The aim of the new initiative is to make outdoor workers safer at work.
Biden said the effort included developing heat illness response plans, implementing rest breaks and requiring workers to have access to shade and water. The president said the new policies would impact U.S. workers, particularly those working in agriculture, construction and the U.S. Postal Service.
“Workers across the country are suffering heat stroke and even dying on the job. This new rule will significantly reduce heat injuries, illnesses and deaths for the more than 36 million workers who will be affected,” Biden said in the announcement.
Read: LIST: Florida Laws Going Into Effect July 1
Earlier this year, the U.S. Congress debated a bill backed by Republican lawmakers that would condemn the Biden administration’s “harmful, anti-American energy policies and boost domestic energy production.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced billions of dollars in new funding in the form of grants to help states cope with extreme heat, flooding and storms.
Read: First Buc-ee’s travel center catches fire during demolition
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
