On May 22, Bruce Stidworthy, chair of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (GACC) Local Government Affairs, presented the Heat Illness and Injury Prevention proposal from the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board to the GACC Board of Directors. Stidworthy expressed concerns that the proposal could negatively impact New Mexico's economic needs in housing, infrastructure, and job creation.
Stidworthy argued that the proposal would create compliance challenges for active job sites, resulting in economic harm across sectors and increased costs with decreased productivity. Kelly Roepke-Orth, president and CEO of Associated General Contractors, supported this view by highlighting key issues with the proposal.
Roepke-Orth noted that mandatory rest breaks at 90°F for construction workers are problematic due to New Mexico's summer temperatures often exceeding this threshold. This would necessitate a 40-minute paid rest break every 20 minutes of work, which she described as logistically unworkable. She added that such breaks could disrupt critical tasks like concrete pours and utility tie-ins, thus increasing safety risks.
Roepke-Orth also pointed out labor force shortages in New Mexico's construction sector and mentioned that irregular shifts required to avoid temperature thresholds could exacerbate mental health issues among workers. She stated that financial burdens from downtime and compliance would raise construction costs for public and private projects.
The GACC sent a letter on May 23 opposing the proposed regulation changes set for discussion at an upcoming July meeting by the Environmental Improvement Board (EIB). The letter was signed by Chamber Chairman Del Esparza and Chamber President Terri Cole. They argued that existing OSHA regulations already protect employees from heat-related hazards and emphasized practical measures like hydration stations already in use.
Esparza and Cole warned against imposing uniform standards across diverse industries, arguing it would hinder economic sectors crucial for jobs, housing, and infrastructure development while raising prices significantly. They urged a vote against the regulation as written due to its potential unintended consequences on businesses, consumers, and employees.
The EIB is expected to consider these regulatory changes during its July meeting.
