Assembly hearing spotlights indoor air and heat risks for warehouse and convention workers; sponsors seek monitoring and cooling rules

Assemblymember Cynthia Moore (Assembly District 11) told the committee that Assembly Bill 414 would address indoor air quality and greenhouse‑gas exposure for workers in warehouses, distribution centers and convention facilities.

“Employees who work indoors in industries like manufacturing and distribution centers are not just vulnerable to extreme heat, they're also vulnerable to poor air quality,” Moore said in opening remarks. She said indoor workers have waited too long for protections and that the standard regulatory process can take years.

Tom Morley, representing Teamsters Local 631, laid out the core operational requests in the bill: OSHA‑approved gas monitors with alarms, monitoring checks every four hours recorded for regulators and unions, cross‑ventilation fans in enclosed spaces, cooling stations when temperatures exceed 103°F and coverage focused on large enclosed workplaces (proposed threshold 10,000 square feet).

“OSHA recognizes the most hazardous greenhouse gases in closed environments being nitrous oxide, fluorocarbons, methane, and CO2,” Morley told the committee. He said the bill would require periodic monitoring and rapid mitigation when hazardous concentrations occur.

Stagehands and convention workers described firsthand problems they say are endemic in arenas and exhibit halls. Edward Goodrich, business agent for IATSE Local 363, described fumes that “literally pull air into the building from the loading docks” and said he had experienced nausea and decreasing visibility during set‑ups when air handlers were not running. “Fainting when performing tasks in this environment can be fatal,” Goodrich said.

Labor organizations, nurses and environmental justice groups uniformly supported the bill. Ross Kinson of the Northern Nevada Central Labor Council said the bill is “a matter of worker protection” and urged enactment. Several union speakers and the Nevada AFL‑CIO urged the committee to act quickly.

Business and trade groups urged caution or opposed AB 414 as drafted. The Las Vegas Chamber, Nevada Trucking Association, Retail Association of Nevada, Nevada Resort Association, Nevada Manufacturers Association and Associated General Contractors argued that Nevada OSHA has already adopted heat standards that will take effect this season and that such regulatory changes should be implemented and evaluated before adding overlapping statutory mandates. Paul Moratkin of the Las Vegas Chamber said the chamber had committed to working with Nevada OSHA on regulations and called AB 414 “premature.”

Truckers emphasized interactions between anti‑idling laws and worker protections. Paul Enos of the Nevada Trucking Association said many trucks rely on auxiliary power units so drivers can run cabin cooling; he warned that a strict anti‑idling provision could unintentionally deny drivers a way to manage heat while loading or unloading.

Division staff told the committee they had worked with sponsors on technical amendments. Victoria Carrion, administrator for the Division of Industrial Relations, said OSHA would handle enforcement and that the division’s safety consultation unit could provide free consultations to employers. Carrion also said the division estimated the instrumentation and training to support initial monitoring would be a one‑time roughly $70,000 fiscal cost and that division staff could operate four gas monitors (two in Northern Nevada and two in Southern Nevada) to begin enforcement and training.

Sponsors said the bill had been adjusted to address some industry concerns, including an exemption for small employers; Morley said negotiators were discussing a threshold of 15 employees per shift as an exemption point. He also said certain industries such as hazardous‑materials cleanup and towing were proposed for a limited exemption because they operate under distinct insurance and hazmat protocols.

Ending

AB 414 drew sharply divided testimony. Labor groups and public‑health advocates urged immediate statutory protection for indoor workers exposed to heat and exhaust; trade associations and employers urged the committee to let the newly adopted Nevada OSHA heat rules take effect and to refine enforcement details. Sponsors and division staff said they were working on technical amendments, including exemptions for smaller employers and coordination with OSHA enforcement.