Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act of 2025

This bill aims to establish crucial occupational safety and health standards to protect farmworkers. It addresses the growing threats posed by increased wildfire seasons, toxic smoke, and rising temperatures, which have led to hazardous working conditions and heat-related fatalities among outdoor workers. Upon enactment, an initial standard will immediately require agricultural employers to implement protective measures. These include providing N95 or N100 respirators for wildfire smoke and ensuring access to water and cooling facilities for excessive heat, with mandatory use when conditions reach extremely dangerous levels. Employers must also offer comprehensive training and education materials in languages understood by farmworkers, covering proper equipment use and health impacts, and provide mandatory 10-minute rest breaks every two hours in shaded or less smoky areas during hazardous conditions. Within 90 days of enactment, the Secretary of Labor is mandated to begin promulgating a permanent occupational safety and health standard . This permanent standard must offer protections at least equivalent to the initial standard and no less protective than any existing state standards, while also detailing the health risks associated with smoke and heat exposure. The bill also encourages collaboration, requiring the Secretary to provide technical assistance and develop sample training materials, working with community organizations to reach all farmworkers, including those with language barriers.