Pima County Institutes Heat Safety Ordinance for Companies
A new heat safety ordinance goes into effect Sept. 19 that requires companies seeking to do business with Pima County to have a written Heat Injury and Illness Prevention and Safety Plan. The Board of Supervisors passed the ordinance Aug. 19.
The new ordinance, which is the first such regulation for an Arizona county, only applies to companies signing new or renewed contracts with the county. The board adopted the ordinance as part of a broader effort to raise awareness of climate change and ameliorate the effects of increased incidences of extreme heat during summer months.
Through August, there have been 38 days where the temperature was 105 degrees or hotter, and summer 2024 is so far the hottest on record, tied with 2020, according to the National Weather Service.
The county health department has declared climate change and extreme heat a public health emergency and has invigorated its Beat the Heat campaign to provide guidance for recognizing and avoiding heat illness and injury. The county and City of Tucson have partnered in operating nearly three dozen cooling centers across the county to provide respite from the heat, especially for people experiencing homelessness.
County Administrator Jan Lesher also adopted a new administrative procedure outlining worker heat safety protocols for county employees.
The ordinance outlines heat safety requirements for any contractors or subcontractors who work under a Pima County contract and whose employees or contractors work outdoors.
“We live in a desert and climate change is turning up the heat, so it was imperative that we take decisive action to protect county employees and the employees of our contractors and subcontractors from the severe health impacts of extreme heat,” said Adelita Grijalva, Chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors and architect of the Heat Ordinance just going into effect. “We are the first Arizona county to adopt such an ordinance and its quality, recognized nationally, can set an example for others.”
Businesses who contract with the county can use the Heat Plan Guide in conjunction with the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Safety Plan template to start building their own plan. They can also find additional resources, like heat safety checklists, best practices for businesses, and federal guidance on pima.gov/heatordinance.
