"Ensuring the Right to Rest: City Ordinances and Access to Rest Breaks " by Jennifer Scott, Bethany Boggess et al.

Faculty Publications

Title

Ensuring the Right to Rest: City Ordinances and Access to Rest Breaks for Workers in the Construction Industry

Authors

Jennifer Scott, School of Social Work, College of Human Sciences & Education, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Dr Scott); Workers Defense Project, Austin, Texas (Ms Boggess, Ms Timm).
Bethany Boggess
Emily Timm

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2018

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of city Rest Break Ordinance (RBO) policies in expanding access to rest at work. METHODS: We use data from surveys of construction workers in Austin and Dallas, Texas, in 2009, 2012, and 2015 (n = 557) to calculate the odds of receiving a rest break in pre- versus post-RBO Austin and in post-RBO Austin versus pre-RBO Dallas, controlling for demographic and employment characteristics. RESULTS: Construction workers were 35% more likely to report receiving a rest break in Austin post-RBO and 16% less likely in Dallas without a RBO as compared to Austin with a RBO. CONCLUSION: The increased likelihood of receiving rest breaks at work in a RBO city suggests that, in the absence of enforceable national standards, city-level RBOs can be an important first step to effective prevention of heat-related illnesses (HRIs) and heat-related fatalities at work.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of occupational and environmental medicine

First Page

331

Last Page

336

Recommended Citation

Scott, J., Boggess, B., & Timm, E. (2018). Ensuring the Right to Rest: City Ordinances and Access to Rest Breaks for Workers in the Construction Industry. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 60 (4), 331-336. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001203

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