U.S. Worker Heat Protections Stayed Frozen Through Record Summer

The freeze on proposed federal heat-safety rules stayed in place through summer 2026, the hottest recorded in the U.S. The Biden-era proposal, paused in January 2025, would have required water, shade, rest breaks, training, and employer prevention plans. With no specific federal heat standard, enforcement relies on general workplace-safety law. Revival or withdrawal is still undecided.