A proposed law aimed at protecting workers from heat-related hazards in the workplace received public support this week from the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), which is pressing for legislative action as Ontario experiences an unseasonably warm fall.
The proposed “Heat Stress Act,” introduced by Ontario NDP MPP Peter Tabuns and co-sponsored by three other ONDP members, would establish a Worker Heat Protection Standard to address heat stress in workplaces across the province.
The bill, part of the OFL’s ongoing campaign, “The Heat is On,” was spotlighted at a press conference held by the organization and affected workers. OFL President Laura Walton underscored the dangers posed by heat in workplaces, noting the risks of injury, illness, and fatalities. “Extreme heat in the workplace injures, sickens, and even kills workers,” Walton said. “This legislation is urgently needed as heat stress will only intensify with rising global temperatures,” she said.
The OFL launched its campaign in May, following unusually high spring temperatures. The effort has since garnered hundreds of signatures on a petition calling for heat stress protections and has collected testimonies from workers who have faced the dangers of working in extreme heat.
“As the world gets hotter, more and more people will be risking their health and their lives just by going to work,” Tabuns said, describing the bill as a necessary measure. “Now is the time to put in place the laws that will protect working people in every workplace in this province,” he said.