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Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

texastribune.org

61–70 of 140 posts

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#61
post #43

As a lifelong Texan who now lives in California— Texas has absolutely no problem overriding municipal and county governments, the biggest of which are solidly blue. It’s a pattern they’ve repeated for over 20 years, often more so as a show of force than anything that affects things at a state level: - Local “bag charges” and “bag bans” on non-reusable plastic bags at grocery stores were outlawed in 2018. - Anything t…

I am curious what your experience was like moving TX=>CA. I've been considering the same.

Did the reverse after living in CA.

The amount of homeless drugs and crime in the Bay made me immediately regret moving, but stayed for the $$$ for a bit.

Texas does many stupid things but so does CA and on top of that CA is expensive as hell to live in

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#62

As a lifelong Texan who now lives in California— Texas has absolutely no problem overriding municipal and county governments, the biggest of which are solidly blue. It’s a pattern they’ve repeated for over 20 years, often more so as a show of force than anything that affects things at a state level: - Local “bag charges” and “bag bans” on non-reusable plastic bags at grocery stores were outlawed in 2018. - Anything t…

Honestly, this sounds like an advertisement for Texas to me. Kind of want to move there (I live in California).

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A rapper named Big Pokey died today [1] after two outdoor concert performances: one in Baytown and the second in Beaumont. I'd cite the source but the original Twitter post of him collapsing on stage was taken down. He was a pretty big guy, so I doubt that helped. But in contrast even fit and healthy people being forced to work construction with no break is inhuman. There's no excuse for such brutality. [1] https://o…

Yeah, damn. The video just shows him collapsing while walking down a rope line. Wasn't even the middle of the day. The heat puts a lot of stress on the body. Any existing issues are bound to come out as the heart circulates blood to try and cool down. American Heart Association has some advice for staying alive in the heat... seems like doctors should be able to help write these into law. https://newsroom.heart.org/n…

Ah, I didn't see the video, just passing on what was in the Reddit thread, which claimed he collapsed mid-peformance.

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#65
post #45
post #28

Those mandatory water break laws confuse me. Is it because businesses are refusing to let their workers take water breaks? Or because workers don’t realize when they need a water break? I find it hard to believe either of those things are generally true*. *: Perhaps there are some outliers - businesses that genuinely slavedrive their workers, or workers that genuinely can’t tell when they’re about to die. But are tho…

If there are no businesses that don't let their workers take water breaks, these rules wouldn't change anything. If there is a single business that doesn't let their workers take water breaks, the rules are necessary. There is no reason to remove them.

Sure, I have no opinion on removing the laws, I was just confused about their origin.

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#66

As a lifelong Texan who now lives in California— Texas has absolutely no problem overriding municipal and county governments, the biggest of which are solidly blue. It’s a pattern they’ve repeated for over 20 years, often more so as a show of force than anything that affects things at a state level: - Local “bag charges” and “bag bans” on non-reusable plastic bags at grocery stores were outlawed in 2018. - Anything t…

> Local “bag charges” and “bag bans” on non-reusable plastic bags at grocery stores were outlawed in 2018. Most “bag bans” are a propaganda campaign to frame the last participant in the supply chain as the culprit of everything. I’ve heard of stores that let you bring your own glass jars to fill up on e.g. almonds. That sounds more practical.

I live in Paris, France, and there are at least 5 shops within walking distance from my house that allow that. Not quite as many within walking distance from my work, but still I know one.

Whenever I order takeaway food, I also try to bring my containers.

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wet bulb temperature would be when the climate gets so hot that perspiration will not cool the body down. It’s a real risk in coming years that will result in death, particularly if it combines with peak AC load to black out a grid for several days. Texas is not there yet, but IIRC this has already happened in India and parts of the Middle East. https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/what-is-a-wet-bulb-t...

Sure, I follow you but why would this start killing people in mass? Wet bulb temp is technically “deadly” in Houston every year with relatively few deaths.

I think the scenario is: power fails so people no longer have AC. I know nothing about how likely that is.

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#68

As a lifelong Texan who now lives in California— Texas has absolutely no problem overriding municipal and county governments, the biggest of which are solidly blue. It’s a pattern they’ve repeated for over 20 years, often more so as a show of force than anything that affects things at a state level: - Local “bag charges” and “bag bans” on non-reusable plastic bags at grocery stores were outlawed in 2018. - Anything t…

Honestly, this sounds like an advertisement for Texas to me. Kind of want to move there (I live in California).

[flagged]

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wet bulb temperature would be when the climate gets so hot that perspiration will not cool the body down. It’s a real risk in coming years that will result in death, particularly if it combines with peak AC load to black out a grid for several days. Texas is not there yet, but IIRC this has already happened in India and parts of the Middle East. https://www.kxan.com/news/national-news/what-is-a-wet-bulb-t...

Sure, I follow you but why would this start killing people in mass? Wet bulb temp is technically “deadly” in Houston every year with relatively few deaths.

[deleted]

Re: Texas rules requiring water breaks for construction workers will be nullified

#70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, I follow you but why would this start killing people in mass? Wet bulb temp is technically “deadly” in Houston every year with relatively few deaths.

I think the scenario is: power fails so people no longer have AC. I know nothing about how likely that is.

Also, the issue in the article is about water breaks while working outside doing heavy construction labor
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