Requires employers to protect workers from extreme heat and cold by implementing safety plans, providing paid rest breaks, shade or warmth, drinking water, and protective equipment, ensuring training, and recordkeeping.

Rhode Island Extreme Temperature Worker Protection Act

This bill would require Rhode Island employers to take specific steps to protect their workers when temperatures become dangerously hot or cold. When heat or cold reaches certain extreme levels, employers would be required to have a written safety plan in place and provide workers with things like paid rest breaks, access to shade or warm shelter, and drinking water. Employers would also need to supply appropriate protective gear and make sure workers are trained to recognize the signs of heat- or cold-related illness.

The bill would affect a wide range of workers — particularly those who work outdoors, such as construction workers, agricultural workers, and landscapers, as well as indoor workers in places like warehouses or kitchens where temperatures can become extreme. Employers covered by the law would need to keep records showing they are following these requirements, which could be reviewed to ensure compliance.

Currently, the bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island House of Representatives and referred to the House Labor Committee. The committee has recommended holding it for further study, meaning lawmakers want more time to review and discuss it before deciding whether to move it forward. A hearing is scheduled for March 30, 2026, where additional input may be gathered before any further action is taken.