Occupational heat exposure and heat-related illnesses (HRIs) among low-wage workers in North Carolina is a growing, preventable public health threat, exacerbated by rising temperatures. Heat-related illnesses, increased emergency department visits, lost productivity, and mortality, disproportionately affecting workers in high-risk industries. Still, North Carolina lacks a state-level policy to combat occupational heat exposure and relies on limited federal guidance. This policy analysis evaluates five policy options: status quo, state heat index standard, paid breaks and schedule adjustments, employer-provided cooling resources, and heat stress education, using criteria of cost, impact, equity, and political feasibility. Findings show the cooling resources policy offers the strongest balance across all criteria by directly reducing heat exposure through enforceable protections. Implementation through the NC Department of Labor is projected to cost 270, 000 in state funding, with expected grant support. This policy has potential to reduce heat related illness, improve workplace safety, and address health disparities among vulnerable workers in North Carolina.
Siddiqi et al. (Thu,) studied this question.