Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYC’s outdoor workers face the test of high temps amid another summer heatwave
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Jul 29, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Jul 29, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Angel Matute was working on a construction project at the corner of Lewis and Fulton Avenues in Brooklyn as the temperature climbed into the mid-90s Monday afternoon.
The 28-year-old Matute said he doesn’t necessarily take more breaks when it’s sweltering out but tries to “go a bit slower to conserve energy,” in addition to hydrating and wearing sunscreen. He said it’s up to each worker to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves when it gets this hot.
“I’ve seen a lot of people faint,” Matute said.
New Yorkers who work in construction, deliver food and packages and do a range of other outdoor jobs are once again toiling through extreme heat this week, with high temperatures expected in the mid- to high-90s through Wednesday, with the heat index making it feel like 100 and above. Public health officials say the broil puts them at greater risk for heat-related illness.
City officials have urged outdoor laborers to take precautions to protect themselves during extreme heat this summer, including drinking water, taking regular breaks and wearing light, loose-fitting clothing. But not everyone will get the message.
Some state lawmakers and labor advocates are pushing for more concrete workplace protections as heat waves in New York become more common and severe.
A state bill known as the Temperature Extreme Mitigation Program Act stalled in the Legislature this session. It would have required employers to provide workers with access to water, shade, “preventative breaks,” and other measures designed to ward off heat illness and injury.
In a report issued last year, city Comptroller Brad Lander urged the adoption of the protections, which would apply to industries including agriculture, car-washing, construction, food service and landscaping. He also said the city should extend heat protections to workers not covered under the state measure.
According to the Lander report, an estimated 1.4 million workers in the city, or about a third of the workforce, toil outdoors for prolonged periods, while about 12.4%, or 173,700 workers, constantly work outdoors.
On days the National Weather Service flags for “extreme heat,” workplace-related injuries are 45% more likely and 20% more severe, according to a report on the impacts of climate change by the New York State Insurance Foundation, the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurer.
Nearly 1,000 workers across the country died from extreme heat exposure between 1992 and 2022, with the construction sector at particularly high risk, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. New York City logs more than 500 heat-related deaths overall each year, though older age and lack of air conditioning are the biggest risk factors.
“With rising temperatures and worsening air quality, it’s essential for New York City to have stronger regulations in place to protect workers from the deadly risks of extreme heat,” Lander said.
Johon Jose, who delivers food for Uber Eats, was taking a break with a couple of colleagues between deliveries Monday afternoon.
Jose was sipping on a Coca-Cola, but said when it’s hot out, he usually drinks lots of water and tries to work earlier in the morning and later in the evening, rather than during the hottest part of the day — another precaution suggested by city officials.
But, he said, protecting himself from extreme heat is “complicated.”
“We don’t have any other option,” Jose said. “We have to work.”
Tips for Outdoor Heat Safety from NYC Emergency Management:
- Drink water every 15 minutes and avoid sugary beverages.
- Take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas.
- Wear lightweight, light colored, loose-fitting clothing. Wear a hat to protect your face and head.
- Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
- Watch out for signs of heat illness in yourself and your colleagues. Signs of heat exhaustion can include heavy sweating, clammy skin, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, headache or nausea. Signs of heat stroke, which is more severe, include confusion, hallucinations, dizziness, loss of consciousness and trouble breathing. If someone appears to be experiencing heat stroke, call 911.
- Find more tips and information about staying safe during extreme heat online.
Tagged
Health and Science
new york city
weather
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .