By: Pita Juarez, Arizona Organizer, Moms Clean Air Force and EcoMadres
Date: July 2, 2025
About: OSHA Proposed Heat Rule, Docket #OSHA-2021-0009
To: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Pita Juarez. I live in Phoenix, AZ. I’m an aunt to 10 nieces and nephews and I serve as the Arizona field consultant for Moms Clean Air Force — a national community of more than 1.5 million parents and caregivers united to protect our children from the dangers of air pollution and the growing threat of climate change.
I am proud to call Arizona home, but as we all know, our beautiful desert state comes with extreme heat that is becoming more dangerous every year. I care deeply about this issue, not just because I’ve seen the headlines, but because I’ve seen the direct impact of extreme heat on the people I love most, my family.
Both of my brothers work outside, and both are small business owners that even in the shade have to bear the brunt of extreme heat. They are among the many Latino workers who keep our communities running, whether by building homes, maintaining outdoor spaces, or supporting essential infrastructure. Every summer, I worry about them. I worry that they will suffer from heat exhaustion or worse, because in Arizona, it is not uncommon for temperatures to go above 120 degrees. This is not just uncomfortable, it’s life-threatening. Both of them experience high fatigue every summer because regardless of how much they have invested in small swamp coolers or outdoor fans the extreme heat prevails.
Extreme heat is a serious, growing danger for outdoor workers across the country, and especially here in the Southwest. Without proper protections, workers face heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death. I’ve heard my brothers talk about coworkers getting dizzy, needing to rest under shade, and sometimes pushing themselves beyond safe limits because they don’t want to lose hours or seem “weak.” They don’t always have consistent protections, and that's unjust. No one should have to risk their health to provide for their family.
Latino workers, like my brothers, are disproportionately represented in outdoor jobs, particularly in agriculture, construction, and landscaping. In fact, nearly 80% of farm workers self-identify as Hispanic. These are the people who put food on our tables, build our communities, and keep our cities running but they are also the most vulnerable when it comes to extreme heat exposure.
The OSHA Heat Injury Proposal is a long-overdue, critical step to ensure that outdoor workers have the protections they need to stay safe. I strongly support the proposal and urge OSHA to finalize the strongest possible version without delay. Lives are at stake—workers should not have to choose between a paycheck and their safety. Strong, enforceable standards can make a real difference and give families like mine peace of mind.
Given that heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense, we ask that the final rule include additional protection for workers during heat waves. We ask that the final rule includes stronger protections for particularly vulnerable people, including pregnant people, elders, individuals with preexisting conditions, and workers who may be exposed to additional stressors like air pollution on the job.