
Common-Sense Measures Could Curb Heat-Related Deaths
Extreme heat is the number-one weather-related killer in the U.S., causing hundreds to thousands of deaths every year. And available estimates are assuredly undercounts because heat is not always accounted for on death certificates. The need to protect people is becoming clearer and more urgent as heat waves happen more often, last longer and become hotter with climate change.
Fully dealing with the threat would mean tackling systemic issues, from mitigating climate change to rectifying inequities in who is exposed to heat and can afford to cool themselves off. But there are also common-sense protections that could—and should—be put in place by both businesses and our government to prevent heat illnesses and deaths. These changes make economic sense, but more important, they are the humane thing to do.
If we want people to do their jobs optimally, we should give them the protection they need to do so.
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Extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion (characterized by nausea, dizziness and muscle cramps), heatstroke (an elevated core body temperature, often higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which can damage organs if not promptly treated), and even death. Older people, those with certain health conditions or taking certain medications, and outdoor workers are particularly at risk of heat illness. Outdoor laborers can be especially vulnerable because, in addition to the danger posed by the ambient heat, their work often raises their body temperature.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics documented 34 heat-related deaths of workers per year between 1992 and 2022, as well as an annual average of 3,389 injuries and illnesses that caused people to miss days of work between 2011 and 2022. And an examination of workers' compensation claims in California that included more cases than just those where people missed work found three to six times the number of illnesses and injuries compared with the Labor Bureau's records for that state.
A few states, such as California and Oregon, have enacted protections for workers following the rubric of 'water, rest, shade'—workers should have ready access to drinkable water and ample rest breaks, ideally in air conditioning and at least in shade, to allow the body to cool and recover. The physiological science behind these interventions is clear, and formal protections requiring these measures have worked.
But piecemeal state legislation leaves many workers unprotected. Scientists and policymakers have argued for a federal standard set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since the agency's inception in the 1970s. In 2024 OSHA finally proposed a rule that would require not only access to water, rest breaks, and shade or other cooling areas but also heat safety training and protocols to acclimatize new and returning workers to high-heat conditions. As with many rules proposed late in the Biden administration, its fate depends on the Trump administration's willingness to put the safety of the American population first.
The current administration should see this rule through—and maintain robust OSHA staffing to enforce it—because it would not only avert highly preventable deaths but also improve economic productivity. Research shows that unrelieved exposure to high heat impairs concentration, coordination and decision-making. If we want people to do their jobs optimally, we should give them the protection they need to do so.
Some businesses have opposed heat health rules, arguing that they impose expenses and that people should be responsible for themselves—an Oregon farm company made this argument after the death of one of its workers before the state enacted its heat safety law. But most of these measures are relatively inexpensive. In addition, heat illness is notoriously difficult for anyone to recognize in themselves, and as a vulnerable class, laborers sometimes avoid taking voluntary breaks for rest or water because they believe doing so will make their bosses think they aren't hard workers and might cost them their jobs.
Existing state rules and the proposed OSHA standard give businesses flexibility in implementing protections: farms may need to have mobile hydration and cooling stations, whereas an oil and gas facility might be able to erect permanent shaded areas for its workers. The goal is to keep people safe, not to impose rigid burdens on businesses.
For these reasons, it would actually be in the economic interest of companies, especially ones that operate in multiple states, to lobby the administration to maintain the rule so they can avoid the patchwork of requirements across the country (although states would still be allowed to institute stricter rules on their own).
In 2015 California strengthened its rules about worker protection and saw positive changes. Part of this success was the result of better enforcement. That is another reason to put an OSHA heat safety standard in place: a specific standard would greatly simplify enforcement. Under a current rule known as the General Duty Clause, the agency must go employer by employer and meet a list of criteria to enforce action.
If the Trump administration does not keep the federal rule, states must be ready to step into the breach to protect workers. They need not reinvent the wheel—the proposed OSHA rule, as well as regulations passed in states such as California and Oregon, could be readily adapted to other places.
Further, states such as Texas and Florida that have passed laws banning local jurisdictions from enacting heat safety regulations must reverse course. Texas and the Southeast have seen some of the largest increases in the number of days when heat and humidity rise to dangerous levels, meaning workers in those states are protected only if they are fortunate enough to work for a company that voluntarily provides adequate safety measures. Protecting people, not just businesses, is the government's job.
Providing access to very basic cooling measures is an overall inexpensive way to keep people safe and has the side benefit of economic efficiency. As Sharon Block, a Harvard Law School professor and labor lawyer, puts it, 'it's not just the decent thing to do but the smart thing to do.'

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USA Today
19 hours ago
- USA Today
I went to a social sauna for a party, and it was nothing like I expected
I went to a social sauna for a party, and it was nothing like I expected Show Caption Hide Caption Mobile Saunas on a roll at Rhode Island beaches Kayla Sibilia, the main steward of Altaer Sauna, brings her mobile saunas to Rhode Island LONDON — When I received an invitation to a birthday party at a social sauna, my first thought was: "Do I have to be naked?!" The answer (thankfully) was no, although some sauna traditionalists would prefer otherwise. All I needed was a swimsuit, sandals and two towels to attend a 90-minute session at Community Sauna Baths, a nonprofit communal bathing site in London's Hackney Wick neighborhood. The community is among a crop of social thermal experiences that have opened in recent years abroad and in the U.S. And, as people look for low-cost, high reward summer fun, these saunas are reporting a boom in popularity. Sauna as you've never steamed it before Following a hectic 6 p.m. commute on public transit, the tranquility of Community Sauna Baths was welcome. Approachable attendants had our group sign a waiver (saunas may not be safe for those who are pregnant, have low blood pressure or some heart conditions) while we sipped a rose-infused tea. We traded sneakers for flip-flops and professional clothes for swimsuits and dipped in a quick cold shower before entering one of the wood-fired saunas. Coming from 65-degree temperatures, the heat was stunning at first. The community keeps its chambers around 175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (note to monitor your body for signs of heat exhaustion). While I had tried a sauna before, it was usually a smallish closet tacked on to a gym or hotel locker room. I'd never experienced this kind of setting — a place where sauna was distinctively the main event. Larger chamber design is key factor of the social sauna movement, widening the physical space to invite more individuals to collectively feel the heat. "It's the only place in London I can think of where I just strike up a conversation with a complete stranger," said Charlie Duckworth, one of the directors at Community Sauna Baths. It's "bizarre" for Duckworth to imagine this level of intimacy possible at a fitness class, where people typically rush in and out of the studio. Here, strangers sit on rows of wooden benches, no phones, sweating together. "It's the intersection of community and recovery," said Evan Galante, co-founder of LÖ-LU Nordic Sauna in Nashville, Tennessee. When he works the front desk, he says he has "no idea" what conversations are happening inside the chamber but loves to hear business partners, parents, neighbors and friends streaming out mid-conversation. And this formula is working: Community Sauna started in late 2021 and now sees about 400 visitors per day on a weekend, and 2,500 per week and has six locations with a seventh opening later this summer. Galante said LÖ-LU was born out of a "few friends" meeting in his backyard that is now a 40-person sauna, a 20-person cold tub, a relaxing lounge area, a coffee shop, an outdoor courtyard, and more. Importantly, sauna is nothing new, said Emma O'Kelly, author of "Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat." "It seems like it's everywhere now," said O'Kelly. These spaces replicate a Finnish sauna model, which dates back thousands of years, she said. Jumping between extremes I would describe myself as "not a heavy sweater," but the lemongrass-infused steam did me in. Dripping, I made my way back to the showers (this rinse keeps salty sweat out of the fresh baths) and then to an array of cold plunges, varying between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. With as much gumption as I could muster, I stepped into the cold water. I felt my neck constrict and shoulders seize to my ears. The trick was to have a buddy. My friend, the birthday girl, and I counted "1,2,3" and submerged. I immediately proclaimed "Nope!" and jumped out, but contrasting hot with cold is an important tool for sauna practice, Galante later explained to me. In order to work our bodies out of "fight or flight," the cold aids regulation. Drawing deep belly inhales and exhales helps the parasympathetic nervous system tell our bodies not to panic, he said. "You have that initial shock, but long term, it's actually calming you down." "It almost forces you into a meditation," said Myles Farmer, co-founder of The Othership, "a new age bath house" with locations in Canada and the U.S. "Before this ... I couldn't meditate. It has changed my whole attitude and my happiness has gone up ... I can't see it being not part of my life at this point." This hot-to-cold routine has major benefits, Famer said, from reduced risk of dementia to increased brain efficiency. 'In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered' At the phone-free sauna, I thought about how many times I would have checked social media had the party been at a bar. Instead, my friends and I laughed and spoke candidly. Achieving satisfying levels of connection is a common reason people return to saunas, Farmer said. Duckworth recalled this "delirious" feeling of intoxicating bliss after an 8-hour day of sweating with strangers last month at The Saunaverse, the UK's first sauna festival, hosted by Community Sauna Baths. "In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered similarly to drinking," he said. These social saunas offer a gamut of sessions to find friends and fun, from sauna for diverse identities to DJ Fridays (LÖ-LU is even hosting a wedding party in coming weeks). "We've been in the [saunas] on a Friday or Saturday night and the energy is quite akin to a local dive bar," Galante said. "People are laughing, it's loud, music is playing." However, traditionalists might reject sauna going mainstream, said O'Kelly, including the requirement to wear swimwear instead of going nude (neoprene "mutes" the steam cleanse, she said). "If you mention this party stuff to Fins, they're horrified," said O'Kelly, adding it's important to take such events as an "entry point," but not to lose the "deep contemplative" elements the practice provides. Low spend, high personal reward This delirious-in-a-good-way-fun comes at a range of price points, too, attracting an array of customers at a time when many Americans want cost-effective recreation with high personal reward. For roughly $29.90 each, my group spent about half the money per person we would have at a typical restaurant birthday party. "It should be accessible to as many people as possible," said Duckworth. After dousing and dipping, it was time for one final rinse off. I left waving at the attendants who had aided us. I would definitely go back, maybe with more buffer time before to get my breath prepared. As I tucked into bed that night, I remembered something Duckworth told me: "You'll sleep like a baby after your first sauna." He was right. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Keeping it Together newsletter.


USA Today
21 hours ago
- USA Today
I went to a social sauna for a party and it was nothing like I expected
I went to a social sauna for a party and it was nothing like I expected Show Caption Hide Caption Mobile Saunas on a roll at Rhode Island beaches Kayla Sibilia, the main steward of Altaer Sauna, brings her mobile saunas to Rhode Island LONDON — When I received an invitation to a birthday party at a social sauna, my first thought was: "Do I have to be naked?!" The answer (thankfully) was no, although some sauna traditionalists would prefer otherwise. All I needed was a swimsuit, sandals and two towels to attend a 90-minute session at Community Sauna Baths, a nonprofit communal bathing site in London's Hackney Wick neighborhood. The community is among a crop of social thermal experiences that have opened in recent years abroad and in the U.S. And, as people look for low-cost, high reward summer fun, these saunas are reporting a boom in popularity. Sauna as you've never steamed it before Following a hectic 6 p.m. commute on public transit, the tranquility of Community Sauna Baths was welcome. Approachable attendants had our group sign a waiver (saunas may not be safe for those who are pregnant, have low blood pressure or some heart conditions) while we sipped a rose-infused tea. We traded sneakers for flip-flops and professional clothes for swimsuits and dipped in a quick cold shower before entering one of the wood-fired saunas. Coming from 65-degree temperatures, the heat was stunning at first. The community keeps its chambers around 175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (note to monitor your body for signs of heat exhaustion). While I had tried a sauna before, it was usually a smallish closet tacked on to a gym or hotel locker room. I'd never experienced this kind of setting — a place where sauna was distinctively the main event. Larger chamber design is key factor of the social sauna movement, widening the physical space to invite more individuals to collectively feel the heat. "It's the only place in London I can think of where I just strike up a conversation with a complete stranger," said Charlie Duckworth, one of the directors at Community Sauna Baths. It's "bizarre" for Duckworth to imagine this level of intimacy possible at a fitness class, where people typically rush in and out of the studio. Here, strangers sit on rows of wooden benches, no phones, sweating together. "It's the intersection of community and recovery," said Evan Galante, co-founder of LÖ-LU Nordic Sauna in Nashville, Tennessee. When he works the front desk, he says he has "no idea" what conversations are happening inside the chamber but loves to hear business partners, parents, neighbors and friends streaming out mid-conversation. And this formula is working: Community Sauna started in late 2021 and now sees about 400 visitors per day on a weekend, and 2,500 per week and has six locations with a seventh opening later this summer. Galante said LÖ-LU was born out of a "few friends" meeting in his backyard that is now a 40-person sauna, a 20-person cold tub, a relaxing lounge area, a coffee shop, an outdoor courtyard, and more. Importantly, sauna is nothing new, said Emma O'Kelly, author of "Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat." "It seems like it's everywhere now," said O'Kelly. These spaces replicate a Finnish sauna model, which dates back thousands of years, she said. Jumping between extremes I would describe myself as "not a heavy sweater," but the lemongrass-infused steam did me in. Dripping, I made my way back to the showers (this rinse keeps salty sweat out of the fresh baths) and then to an array of cold plunges, varying between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. With as much gumption as I could muster, I stepped into the cold water. I felt my neck constrict and shoulders seize to my ears. The trick was to have a buddy. My friend, the birthday girl, and I counted "1,2,3" and submerged. I immediately proclaimed "Nope!" and jumped out, but contrasting hot with cold is an important tool for sauna practice, Galante later explained to me. In order to work our bodies out of "fight or flight," the cold aids regulation. Drawing deep belly inhales and exhales helps the parasympathetic nervous system tell our bodies not to panic, he said. "You have that initial shock, but long term, it's actually calming you down." "It almost forces you into a meditation," said Myles Farmer, co-founder of The Othership, "a new age bath house" with locations in Canada and the U.S. "Before this ... I couldn't meditate. It has changed my whole attitude and my happiness has gone up ... I can't see it being not part of my life at this point." This hot-to-cold routine has major benefits, Famer said, from reduced risk of dementia to increased brain efficiency. 'In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered' At the phone-free sauna, I thought about how many times I would have checked social media had the party been at a bar. Instead, my friends and I laughed and spoke candidly. Achieving satisfying levels of connection is a common reason people return to saunas, Farmer said. Duckworth recalled this "delirious" feeling of intoxicating bliss after an 8-hour day of sweating with strangers last month at The Saunaverse, the UK's first sauna festival, hosted by Community Sauna Baths. "In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered similarly to drinking," he said. These social saunas offer a gamut of sessions to find friends and fun, from sauna for diverse identities to DJ Fridays (LÖ-LU is even hosting a wedding party in coming weeks). "We've been in the [saunas] on a Friday or Saturday night and the energy is quite akin to a local dive bar," Galante said. "People are laughing, it's loud, music is playing." However, traditionalists might reject sauna going mainstream, said O'Kelly, including the requirement to wear swimwear instead of going nude (neoprene "mutes" the steam cleanse, she said). "If you mention this party stuff to Fins, they're horrified," said O'Kelly, adding it's important to take such events as an "entry point," but not to lose the "deep contemplative" elements the practice provides. Low spend, high personal reward This delirious-in-a-good-way-fun comes at a range of price points, too, attracting an array of customers at a time when many Americans want cost-effective recreation with high personal reward. For roughly $29.90 each, my group spent about half the money per person we would have at a typical restaurant birthday party. "It should be accessible to as many people as possible," said Duckworth. After dousing and dipping, it was time for one final rinse off. I left waving at the attendants who had aided us. I would definitely go back, maybe with more buffer time before to get my breath prepared. As I tucked into bed that night, I remembered something Duckworth told me: "You'll sleep like a baby after your first sauna." He was right. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Keeping it Together newsletter.

Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
A northern Arizona county is reporting 4 measles cases, the state's first in 2025
Health officials in Navajo County in northern Arizona say they've confirmed four measles cases, which are the first cases of the highly contagious respiratory virus in Arizona in 2025. The announcement from the Navajo County Public Health Services District June 9 came amid a national surge of measles, with 1,168 cases reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as of June 6, which is more than four times the number reported during all of 2024. Compounding the threat for Arizonans are recent cases in five neighboring states: California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. The four cases in Navajo County involve people who were not vaccinated against measles. The four were infected from a single source and have a recent history of international travel, health district officials say. Public health officials are trying to identify locations where exposure may have happened and are in the process of identifying people who may have been exposed, the Navajo County health district said in a written statement. Officials estimate the "potential exposure" dates were between May 17 and May 28 and said anyone who may have been exposed should monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure. Symptoms include a high fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, a cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes and a rash beginning at the head and spreading downward A measles outbreak that began earlier this year in Texas killed two unvaccinated school-age children, resulted in 94 hospitalizations and totaled 742 cases overall. In a related outbreak, New Mexico health officials as of June 3 reported 81 measles cases and the death of one adult who tested positive for measles. Arizona is particularly vulnerable to a measles outbreak because community protection has been waning as an increasing number of parents and guardians are choosing not to vaccinate their children with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine, known as MMR. There likely are several reasons for the decline, including problems accessing the vaccine, vaccine skepticism and a lack of scientifically accurate education about the risks and benefits of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles. Measles can affect people of any age and cause an array of complications, including deafness, blindness and brain inflammation, in addition to death. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective in protecting against measles infection, evidence shows. Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at or follow her on X: @stephanieinnes. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona confirms 4 measles cases amid a national surge