Council hearing spotlights worker safety gaps as bill would require DOHMH guidance on extreme weather

Council members and agency witnesses on the New York City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings, sitting jointly with the Committee on Civil Service and Labor, on Thursday discussed protections for outdoor workers and endorsed a bill that would direct the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to publish best-practice guidance on extreme weather. Council member Carmen De La Rosa, chair of the Committee on Civil Service and Labor, said she was “proud to sponsor intro 13-76,” which would require DOHMH to post guidance on conditions such as extreme heat and low air quality.

The measure responds to growing climate threats that affect workers who must perform outdoor labor. The bill’s supporters said simple, consistent guidance from DOHMH would help employers, unions and workers take protective steps during heat waves, wildfire smoke events and other extreme conditions.

Guillermo Pacino, deputy commissioner for policy and legal affairs at the Department of Buildings, testified that the administration supports the bill. “The administration supports this legislation as extreme weather events pose recognized occupational health risks and are found to be associated with higher accident rates, illness, injuries, and deaths,” Pacino said during testimony on behalf of the administration.

Council members and witnesses described overlapping jurisdictions and uneven enforcement. Pacino noted that workplace safety enforcement often falls to federal and state agencies: “OSHA has jurisdiction over worker safety in places, certain requirements on employers related to heat,” he said, adding the Department of Buildings does not perform heat‑safety compliance inspections. Frank McCartan, assistant commissioner for emergency services at the Fire Department, described citywide communications during emergencies and said the administration distributes heat and air quality notices through established channels including NotifyNYC and social media.

Public witnesses and city offices called for concrete employer requirements in addition to public guidance. Matan Diner, policy analyst for the New York City Comptroller’s Office, cited the office’s analysis estimating roughly 1,400,000 workers — about a third of the city’s workforce — work outdoors for prolonged periods and said protections should include mandated water, shade and paid rest breaks.

Committee members asked agencies to follow up with data on reported heat incidents and air‑quality alerts. Pacino said DOB had received roughly 10 notifications of heat‑related incidents at construction sites since 2020 and offered to provide further information. The committees did not vote on any measure at the hearing; sponsors said they will work with DOHMH and other agencies on next steps.