WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Last year Texas approved a law that eliminated local rules mandating water breaks for construction workers.
- I spoke to other workers on the construction site in Waco who tell me, they can get water whenever they need to and have not felt impacted by the law.
- Supporters of the bill say the water break ordinance is not flexible.
- Those who opposed the bill previously argued more heat related deaths and illnesses could happen if mandated water breaks go away.
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports at least 42 workers died in Texas between 2011 and 2021 from environmental heat exposure.
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"Safety is always number one on any construction site and that goes hand and hand with hydration and staying safe in the heat," construction manager Daniel Hernandez said.
Daniel Hernandez has worked in construction for nearly a year. Him and his crew were out on Friday working on water lines in Waco.
"Some months are harder than others. It's just staying smart staying hydrated and making sure you're listening to your body and not over working yourself," he said.
Last year Governor Greg Abbott approved House Bill 2127, a law eliminating city and county ordinances, like Austin and Dallas' mandated water breaks for construction workers.
I spoke to other workers on the construction site in Waco who tell me, they can get water whenever they need to and have not felt impacted by the law.
A trade association which supported the bill, The Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas, or ABC says, the water break ordinances lacked flexibility.
"Our big thing is you have to think about the job site and what makes sense given the activities happening that particular day, the heat index that day and you have to adjust and adapt. That's what we do every single day when we're dealing with other safety hazards," ABC President Geoffrey Tahuahua said.
ABC President Geoffrey Tahuahua tells me, ABC focuses on total safety in all areas, including heat.
"We have one member, they're actually the largest contractor in the Waco area, they've gone to the extra step of deploying these GARMIN devices. They're wrist devices and they monitor blood pressure, pulse as well as the temperature of the worker on the job site."
People who previously opposed the bill argued more heat related deaths and illnesses could happen if mandated water breaks go away.
