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The above-average temperatures of recent summers have been extremely dangerous for construction workers, kitchen cooks and other workers in Texas who have been exposed to health-threatening heat exposure.

But some relief may be in sight after the Biden-Harris administration announced a bill on Tuesday to protect millions of workers from the risks of extreme heat.

The rule would require employers to develop a plan to prevent heat injury and illness in the workplace and ensure that their employees have access to drinking water, rest breaks and control of indoor temperatures. It would apply to all employers who perform indoor or outdoor work in construction, agriculture and other sectors covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Before the proposal takes effect, OSHA must publicly announce it and establish a period for collecting public input.

“In many ways, this decades-long fight in Texas is helping to expand workers' rights across the country,” said Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Austin, who is pushing for a federal heat standard for workplaces and rest and water breaks in Texas.

Casar led a thirst strike at the U.S. Capitol a year ago to raise awareness of the issue. Casar hopes the Biden administration's proposed legislation will be completed by next summer.

The proposed federal requirements come a year after Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 2127, which prohibited cities and counties from enacting local ordinances that go beyond state law in a number of areas, from labor and finance to agriculture and natural resources.

HB 2127 repealed ordinances in Austin and Dallas that required mandatory water breaks for construction workers. Supporters of the law said such ordinances hindered businesses and led to inconsistent standards across the state.

Climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels is causing temperatures to rise in Texas. Last year was the hottest year on record in the state. The state's climatologist expects average temperatures and the number of days with triple-digit temperatures to continue to rise.

Heat is deadly. It's known as the silent killer because its effects are more subtle than those of a tornado or fire. Yet, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, heat kills more people than any other type of weather. Last year, at least 300 people died from heat in Texas, more than any other year on record. Most of the deaths occurred in populous metropolitan areas like Houston and Dallas Fort-Worth, as well as border regions.

“We know temperatures are going to continue to rise, so these protective measures must be taken,” said Ana Gonzalez, deputy director of policy and politics for the Texas AFL-CIO.

Emily Foxhall contributed to this story.

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