Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston City Councilors are looking into protections for workers in the heat.
The Boston City Council Committee on Labor, Workforce, and Economic Development called for a hearing on Wednesday to look at what options the city has to protect workers in the heat. Committee Chairman Ben Weber hopes Boston can establish rules on working in the heat.
“There’s a huge gap we have to fill here. The federal government does not have rules in place to protect workers. The state doesn’t have rules [either],” said Weber.
Weber already had a few suggestions as to what should be implemented ahead of Wednesday’s meeting at City Hall.
“Number one: insist that city employees get breaks when the heat is too much, that they get water and shade and that their coworkers and supervisors know how to recognize the signs of heatstroke,” said Weber.
Weber also added that with rising global temperatures due to climate change, the time to act should be sooner rather than later.
“We want to do what we can to protect them and this is one gap in the system where workers aren’t provided with protection from the heat and this is something we can do for the City of Boston,” said Weber.
WBZ NewsRadio's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok