White House proposes worker heat protections, pushing back on Texas' ban on such rules

The Biden White House on Tuesday proposed new rules requiring employers to shield workers from heat — a step toward overriding a law Gov. Greg Abbott signed last year banning Texas municipalities from passing their own workplace-safety rules. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposal would require employers to give water and rest breaks to both indoor and outdoor workers when temperatures reach certain thresholds. It would be the first federal mandate aimed at preventing heat-related workplace deaths.