Work Shouldn’t Cost Your Life

It’s Time to Protect Illinois Workers from Extreme Temperatures

The Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act

Finally giving Illinois’ workers the protection they deserve.

Illinois workers are facing dangerous heat and cold on the job with no real protections in place.

For decades, workers fought to win a national heat safety standard, and we were finally on the verge of victory under the Biden administration. But when power changed hands, the Trump administration hamstrung every agency tasked with protecting workers.

As the Federal government abandons workers, Illinois has to step up and guarantee Illinois workers the safety protections they've been fighting for, keeping them safe from extreme temperatures that are only getting worse.

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The Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act

About the Bill

Illinois workers have never had any standard protecting them from dangerous heat and cold on the job. It could be 110 degrees on the shop floor and there is no health or safety standard that’s going to protect you from fainting or dying on the job.

The Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act would change that by requiring employers to develop prevention plans, provide water, rest breaks, and protective equipment, and train workers to identify temperature-related health risks.

This policy is about setting common sense standards: rest breaks when temperatures climb above 90 degrees, insulated gloves when they drop below 10 degrees, and cool water on scorching hot days. It’s about making sure workers can blow the whistle when the conditions get dangerous, without fearing retaliation.

The Bill Fact Sheet

IN THE NEWS

New Push to Protect Illinois Workers From Extreme Cold After Subzero Week

CHICAGO - Days after a dangerous cold snap sent wind chills plunging to 32 degrees below zero across Illinois, state lawmakers are renewing their push for legislation that would protect workers forced to labor outside in extreme weather, saying last week's deep freeze exposed a glaring gap in workplace safety law.

What we know: The Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act, introduced by State Senator Robert Peters and State Representative Edgar Gonzalez Jr., would establish the first enforceable extreme temperature standards for Illinois workers.

Supporters say the bill is urgently needed after this week's arctic blast, when schools closed, transit shut down, and cities opened warming centers while thousands of workers still had to show up to load baggage on frozen tarmacs, deliver packages, and work in warehouses that felt like refrigerators.

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The Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act

What the Bill Does:

Sets specific temperature standards that trigger employer obligations at different thresholds for indoor and outdoor work.
Employers must develop written temperature illness prevention plans by January 1, 2028, with meaningful employee input, including those covered by a CBA, and annual updates.
Requires employers to implement heat and cold alert systems and establish emergency protocols for temperature-related illnesses. Mandates annual training for all employees on recognizing symptoms, understanding risk factors, and knowing their rights under the law.

Ensures workers have access to water, rest breaks, cooling/warming stations, and climate-controlled spaces to keep workers safe during periods of extreme temperature.
Creates strong anti-retaliation provisions with a rebuttable presumption for adverse actions taken against workers who exercise their rights.
Creates a strong enforcement regime through diversified oversight by agencies and other interested parties.