By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Pima County gave an update on its heat safety ordinance as the region enters summer and wraps up its first triple-digit temperature week of the year.
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Pima County was the first in the state to develop and approve a policy that protects contracted workers exposed to high-heat worksites.
Worksite practices are changing under the ordinance now that summer has arrived. Instead of projects being done throughout the afternoon when temperatures are the highest, crews start early in the morning and finish before the worst of the heat hits.
“In Arizona in the summer, the sun is up at 5 in the morning, so we’re out there working at 5 in the morning,” said Shawn Blubaum, Sundt Construction’s Tucson regional manager.
During these months, contractors working under Pima County change their practices to ensure worker safety.
“In the summer we probably are gonna have to take, you know, a few more breaks and be more aware and make sure we’re hydrating even more,” Blubaum said.
The heat safety ordinance Pima County created in August 2024 stipulates that all county contractors will have a heat safety plan, including a heat emergency protocol and training. Workers will have access to shade, water, and breaks, and will be acclimated to high temperatures.
Sarah Davis, a senior advisor with Pima County Administration, said in the past two years, it has been a success.
“1700 contracts that say you will have a heat safety plan with these critical components is really a huge step forward,” Davis said.
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Davis said of those 1,700 contracts, no third-party complaints about heat or worksite safety have been noted to the county.
Blubaum said the ordinance has helped change the culture of the workplace.
“We have to take heat illness and heat awareness seriously day to day in Arizona. It’s part of what we deal with, and we wanna be safe, and so the ordinance really reinforces that and helps us educate the masses,” Blubaum said.
While all of this is most important during the summer months, Davis said continuing to focus on heat safety regardless of the time of year is more crucial than ever.
“We’re going to continue to see heat kind of fold into spring and fall in years to come; we know this, we know it’s a trend that’s happening,” Davis said.
Davis said the county has a heat safety plan guide and template for companies that are not contracted under the county, so all workers in southern Arizona can stay safe from the heat regardless of the project they are on.
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