Andrew Powell
Florida’s outdoor workers could be getting an added layer of protection as part of ongoing efforts to enhance worker safety by preventing heat-related illnesses and fatalities on the job.
The bill (SB 510) filed by St. Petersburg Democrat Sen. Darryl Rouson would add requirements for employers whose work crews spend a large portion of their time working outside in the Florida heat, particularly in industries such as agriculture, landscaping, and construction.
The measure would aim to protect outdoor workers from heat illness and death caused by heat exposure, by setting in place certain responsibilities for employers, including providing cool or cold water, regular breaks in the shade, and annual training programs on the risks of heat exposure for both employees and supervisors.
Employers would be required to implement an outdoor heat exposure safety program approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture, Consumer Services, and the Department of Health — which would include first-aid training, preventative measures, and high-heat procedures.
Both supervisor and employee first aid training would include ways to identify the signs and symptoms of heat exposure, both in themselves and others, as well as how to best use appropriate first-aid measures in the event an employee or co-worker suffers from a serious heat-related illness event before medical attention can arrive on scene.
Shaded areas and access to cold or cool drinking water would be required if temperatures reach more than 80 degrees during the workday.
Under high-heat conditions, employees would be given regular 10-minute breaks every two hours when they are working in environments exceeding 90 degrees. Supervisors would also be required to make available an effective voice, observational, or electronic communication system that allows an employee to communicate with a manager, supervisor, or emergency medical services if needed.
Between 2010 and 2020 there were 215 heat-related deaths in Florida, averaging between 10 and 38 deaths per year, with the highest number of deaths occurring during the summer months of June and July, according to a study from the University of Florida.
If passed, the bill would take effect October 1, 2025.
