Arizona's First Statewide Heat Rules for Outdoor Workers Take Effect

Arizona's first statewide heat safety rules for outdoor workers took effect Friday, July 31, requiring employers across the state to provide water, shade and rest breaks at outdoor job sites.

The rules are enforced by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Until now Arizona had no statewide regulation specifically addressing heat exposure on the job, and requirements varied by employer and by contract.

Contractors that do not comply can be cited individually, with penalties that can reach tens of thousands of dollars.

What the rules require

The core of the regulation is straightforward. Outdoor worksites must have drinking water available, shade that workers can use, and time to rest.

The standard applies to outdoor job sites statewide, which covers construction, roadwork, landscaping, roofing and other trades that make up a substantial share of employment across the Phoenix metropolitan area.

Why the trades pushed for it

The regulations were backed by Ironworkers Local 75 and the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Union, which pointed to heat illness among members working on steel and concrete structures where surface temperatures climb well above what a ground level thermometer shows.

"You get up to the top of some of these structures, working in temperatures of 140 degrees," said Aaron McDonald, apprenticeship coordinator for Ironworkers Local 75.

McDonald said the exposure is sustained rather than brief. "These guys are out here for 8, 10, 12 hours a day," he said, adding that workers "are dying in Arizona because of the heat."

Tristen David, an apprentice ironworker, described how early the conditions set in. "The moment the sun comes up, you can start feeling the heat and temperature rise," he said.

The timing

The rules arrive during the hottest stretch of the Arizona year, and with an excessive heat warning in effect across the Phoenix area including Queen Creek.

For a town that has grown quickly and has active residential and commercial construction underway, the standard covers a visible part of the local workforce. Crews working on subdivisions, roads and commercial buildings in and around Queen Creek fall under the same requirements as those anywhere else in the state.

Workers who believe a site is not meeting the requirements can file a complaint with the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

Sources

https://www.azfamily.com/2026/08/01/arizona-outdoor-workers-now-protected-by-first-ever-statewide-heat-safety-rules/