As 2026 goes into full swing, legislatures continue to introduce new bills impacting workplace safety, particularly worker protections from extreme temperatures.

Arizona House Bill 2928 would require the Industrial Commission to create workplace safety standards for extreme heat and cold.  The bill would require specific heat safety rules for industries such as agriculture, construction, landscaping, oil and gas extraction, airport workers, mail and package delivery workers,  and other commercial transportation and delivery workers that do not work in air-conditioned environments and must regularly load and unload vehicles.

For temperatures of 80° or higher, workers must be provided one cup of cool water per 15-20 minutes, as well as electrolytes. Furthermore, employers must provide access to shade or climate-controlled environments, with a supervisor designated to monitor groups of 20 workers or less for signs of heat illness.

Additionally, the bill requires heat acclimatization, where a worker could only work 20% of their shift in high-heat environments, steadily increasing exposure over a week or two.

For temperatures at 90° and above, 10-minute breaks would be required every two hours, on top of other mandatory breaks. For temperatures beyond 95°, additional water is required. For temperatures of 100° or higher, a 10-minute break is required every hour.

For colder temperatures, employers must develop written plans for workplace exposure to low temperatures. This would include providing:

• Warm liquids
• Warm-up breaks
• Information on how to access wind PPE based on wind speed
• Education and training to prevent cold-related illness or injury
• Schedules to reduce the time employees spend in a cold environment

Georgia House Bill 1071 proposes protections for employees from occupational heat exposure, requiring that by January 1, 2027, all small businesses and large employers implement a heat illness prevention plan.

Such plans would require providing water, access to shade, awareness training, and precautions for dangerous heat index triggers, such as mandatory rest breaks, active monitoring, observation systems, and more. The bill also includes language around high-risk workers, targeting any worker who is new to a job requiring physical labor under extreme heat conditions, pregnant or postpartum, over 60, or diagnosed with certain chronic illnesses affecting thermoregulation.

Employers would be subject to civil penalties of up to $5,000 for violations and could enter into settlement agreements or corrective action plans with the state.

Virginia Senate Bill 288 would require the Safety and Health Codes Board, in consultation with the Department of labor, to develop and adopt regulations requiring employers to implement standards for heat illness prevention by May 1, 2027.

Such standards shall include requirements for employers to provide water, access to shade or climate-controlled environments when practicable, rest periods, acclimatization to working in heat, and effective training regarding heat illness prevention. High-heat procedures must be implemented when temperature equals or exceeds 80°. Exemptions shall be made for heat exposure during the provision of emergency services, and heat exposure lasting no longer than 15 consecutive minutes.

The bill authorizes a worker aggrieved by a violation of the regulations to seek to obtain injunctive relief, to recover statutory damages of $1,000 per violation, or both in an action commenced within one year of the cause of action.