FILE - Merchandise is scanned to be tracked as it moves through the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Sacramento, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2018. As global warming rises temperatures, a California labor protection board has approved standards, Thursday, March 21, 2024, that would require companies protect their employees from excessive heat even inside, particularly in warehouses. The rules still need final approval by the state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Sheheryar Kaoosji, executive director of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center, applauded the vote and said 15 million workers in the state stand to benefit. Amazon said in a statement that its heat safety protocols often exceed industry standards, and it provides air conditioning in all of its fulfillment centers and air hubs.
The state Office of Administrative Law will need the Department of Finance’s approval before it can move forward with the regulations, Palmer said. Labor and climate activists opposed the effort to remove the heat-protection item from Thursday's meeting agenda, and board Chair David Thomas agreed.