The Tempe council has approved standards designed to protect city workers and contractors from the heat.

The Safety Standards for Outdoor Workers policy was voted on June 5, and several of the requirements for water, rest breaks and access to shade will become effective 30 days after adoption. Other requirements, including training, signs and heat safety plans, will take effect on Sept. 1, Tempe officials said.

“This is about protecting the people who keep Tempe running - our public works teams, park crews and contract laborers,” Tempe City Councilmember Randy Keating said. Keating is chairman of the Heat Safety for Tempe & Contract Workers Council Subcommittee.

“Extreme heat is a reality in Tempe, and it’s our responsibility to make sure those working in it have the safeguards they need to stay safe,” he said.

The new standards, modeled on policies in Phoenix, Tucson and Pima County, require:

• Written heat safety plans.
• Access to water and shade within 0.25 miles of work zones.
• Rest breaks of at least 10 minutes every two hours when temperatures exceed 100 degrees.
• Heat safety training and emergency protocols provided annually.
• Acclimatization measures for new employees.
• Bilingual signs outlining protections and emergency steps.
• Whistleblower protections.

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