Agency counsel and educators warn proposed extreme-temperature workplace law could create heavy costs and practical problems for farms and school worksites

Steve Collier, general counsel for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, told the House Committee on General and Housing on March 31 that the stated goals of S.230 — preventing heat- and cold-related harm to workers — are appropriate, but the draft bill’s compliance burden could be large for small employers, seasonal farms and education programs that send students to varied off‑site worksites.

Collier summarized what he read as the bill’s operational requirements: employers would need wet‑bulb globe temperature (WBGT) measuring devices for every outdoor and indoor work location and every vehicle used for work; employers would have to prepare detailed, work‑site–specific written plans that document risk factors, training, emergency response procedures and contact information; and employers would need to provide a way for employees to communicate with supervisors, access potable water and allow shaded or air‑conditioned rest areas when the WBGT exceeds 80°F.

“Those objectives are obviously sound,” Collier said. “No one wants anybody subjected to deprivations based on anything and that includes…