Study finds excessive heat increases number of work-related injuries
Health officials are reminding people about the dangers of working outside.
▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS
A new study shows evidence that excessive heat increases the frequency of injuries to workers.
The study comes as Florida lawmakers pushed back an effort to require more heat protections for workers.
The study found that work-related accidents increased by around 5% when temperatures topped 90 degrees.
“What we did was to expand the scope of these potential injuries by allowing for injuries that could ultimately occur as the result of heat, such as falling off a ladder on a hot day, something that actually would not have happened on a normal temperature day,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at the Workers Compensation Research Institute.
Read: Central Florida Red Lobster locations to be auctioned off as employees hunt for new jobs
Supporters of the recent bill say employers already face requirements to protect workers from heat-related injuries.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
