Bill Would Require Employers to Take Safety Measures
Did you know that you can pursue workers’ compensation benefits in New Jersey if you suffer heat-related injuries during the course of your employment? For example, if you work in construction or landscaping and are required to work when temperatures drift near triple digits, you can seek workers’ comp if you can’t work because of heat stroke or other heat-related injuries. There are only two requirements: you must show that (1) the heat caused your injuries, and (2) you were working at the time of your injuries.
New Jersey Legislature Considers Heat-Related Protections for Outdoor Workers
In recognition of the dangers posed by high temperatures, the New Jersey Senate is debating Bill 2422, which would impose a number of requirements on employers. The statute would compel employers to:
- Provide cool water (with a temperature of less than 59 degrees)
- Provide paid breaks and shade
- Offer regular heat monitoring
- Develop and impose heat acclimatization practices
- Minimize worker heat exposure during the workday
- Make emergency services available to workers who are injured because of excessive heat
Under the proposed law, employers must have heat alert programs in place and must implement those measures when the National Weather Service projects a heatwave. The heat alert programs must:
- Defer or postpone all non-essential tasks until the heat wave has ended
- Increase the number of personnel working at any given time, so that the heat exposure of individual workers is reduced
- Monitor environmental heat throughout a job site, including any break or resting areas
- Allow workers to take more and/or longer breaks
The bill includes a couple of recordkeeping obligations, including details of any heat-related deaths or illnesses, as well as all anti-retaliation measures that are in place.
Contact the Law Office of Howard D. Popper
At the Law Offices of Howard D. Popper, we can help protect your rights. For a free initial consultation to discuss your options after you have been hurt on the job in New Jersey, contact our office online or call 973-993-8787 to set up an appointment. We have offices in Morristown and Newton.
We handle all personal injury claims on a contingent-fee basis. You won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover damages for your losses.