When heat hits work

Also: Inside a new heat alert experiment; MBTA bringing in the reinforcements [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  July 28, 2023 ☀️Sunny, with a high near 92. Good Morning Boston, We're on the verge of a great weekend of outside activities. There's music festivals in [Newport]( [Lowell]( and [Cambridge](. You can [take in huge sand sculptures]( in Revere. Or [catch a free performance of "Macbeth"]( on the Common. (Our theater critic says it's "[stunning]( But most of us still have to get through one more day of work. And amid [this "oppressive" heat,]( certain workers have to be mindful of more than just a sweaty commute to the office. - Local worker rights advocates are reminding people who work outside or in hot conditions to take precautions. Francisca Sepulveda, an organizer with the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, tells WBUR's Stevee Chapman that heat can adversely affect people at as low as 80 degrees. With the humidity today making it feel closer to 100, workers should be extra careful. - Who's vulnerable: Sepulveda says it's not just outside workers like construction crews, landscapers and roofers, but also those in often-hot inside areas like kitchens, laundromats and factories. - Sepulveda's advice: "Always consider water, shade and breaks." When it's this hot, that means sips of water every 15 minutes. And breaks should last 10-15 minutes, always in the shade, she said. - Find a partner: Sepulveda also recommends the buddy system to spot signs of heat-related illnesses among coworkers, like abnormal behavior, confusion and difficulty speaking. - When to call 911: Mass. General's Dr. Ali Raja says that medical attention is required "whenever you start noting somebody getting confused or stopping sweating or even vomiting." That's a sign of not just heat exhaustion, but heat stroke. "Heat stroke is a real emergency and that's going to need treatment in a hospital," Raja told WBUR's Amy Sokolow. "That's not the kind of thing that you're going to be able to handle yourself." - More advice: Read [the full list of tips for staying safe]( and [the eight mistakes to avoid]( — if you're going out in this heat. - Zoom out: President Biden [rolled out some new measures yesterday]( aimed at protecting workers from extreme heat. - Some caution may be warranted if you're headed to the beach to escape the heat. That's because the National Weather Service has issued [a warning for dangerous surf and rip currents today]( — primarily for beaches on the Cape and South Coast. "If you're heading down to, say, Horse Neck Beach or any of the beaches in southern Rhode Island, those would be the ones most at risk," said meteorologist Joe Dellicarpini, adding that the threat of rip currents for beaches up the coast in eastern Massachusetts is "much less." - They say when one door closes, another one opens — and it's sort of the inverse these days on the MBTA. Officials say they expect the Green Line's B branch to [reopen as scheduled tomorrow]( following its 12-day closure for extensive track repairs. However, tomorrow also marks the beginning of another 12-day closure of Haymarket station due to [Government Center Garage redevelopment]( construction. - While [Orange Line trains will simply bypass Haymarket]( the closure will be a little more annoying for Green Line riders. That's because trolley service will be [suspended between North Station and Government Center](. (The T says Green Line riders should walk between the two stations or switch onto the Orange Line.) - Behind the scenes: MBTA General Manager Phil Eng is bringing in the "reinforcements." He announced [four new major hires yesterday]( — all of whom are New Yorkers, like him. This weekend marks the beginning of a 12-day closure of Haymarket station (July 29 to Aug. 9), which will force Green Line riders to find a way around the hole in service. - Bay Staters are one step closer to being able to change the gender on their birth certificate to the gender-neutral letter "X," after the state Senate passed a bill yesterday to expand the option. (You can [already choose "X" on state issued forms of ID]( like drivers licenses.) - Next up: The bill needs approval from the House. Despite the weather, relations between the two chambers have [been a bit chilly lately]( so TBD on if and when the House follows suit. P.S.— Did you catch last night's impressive double rainbow after the storm? WBUR photographer Jesse Costa did. Check out [his photo here]( along with [many other dazzling sky shots from Universal Hub](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [This project pilots how heat alerts could help clinicians intervene for people at high risk]( Heat is much more dangerous for some people than others. And heat-related health risks begin much earlier in the year than most people realize. New alerts aim to get this information to patients through doctors and nurses, and emphasize the root cause of rising temperatures: climate change. [Read more.]( [This project pilots how heat alerts could help clinicians intervene for people at high risk]( Heat is much more dangerous for some people than others. And heat-related health risks begin much earlier in the year than most people realize. New alerts aim to get this information to patients through doctors and nurses, and emphasize the root cause of rising temperatures: climate change. [Read more.]( [Wait, do you need a visa to go to Europe now? The new ETIAS requirements, explained]( Starting in 2024, American passport holders traveling to 30 European countries will need to receive authorization to travel via the ETIAS, a long-awaited measure designed to prevent terrorism. [Read more.]( [Wait, do you need a visa to go to Europe now? The new ETIAS requirements, explained]( Starting in 2024, American passport holders traveling to 30 European countries will need to receive authorization to travel via the ETIAS, a long-awaited measure designed to prevent terrorism. [Read more.]( [Trump charged with additional counts in Mar-a-Lago documents case]( A new defendant was also added the indictment against Trump and his aide Walt Nauta. Carlos de Oliveira was added to the obstruction conspiracy charged in the original indictment. [Read more.]( [Trump charged with additional counts in Mar-a-Lago documents case]( A new defendant was also added the indictment against Trump and his aide Walt Nauta. Carlos de Oliveira was added to the obstruction conspiracy charged in the original indictment. [Read more.]( [New study shows just how Facebook's algorithm shapes conservative and liberal bubbles]( Research conducted at the height of the 2020 election reveals new details about how Facebook's algorithms handle political content. But it suggests there are no easy fixes to political polarization. [Read more.]( [New study shows just how Facebook's algorithm shapes conservative and liberal bubbles]( Research conducted at the height of the 2020 election reveals new details about how Facebook's algorithms handle political content. But it suggests there are no easy fixes to political polarization. [Read more.]( [Campbell joins 21 other state attorneys general to oppose settlement about 'forever chemicals']( Twenty-two attorneys general say a proposed $10.3 billion settlement over PFAS contamination lets the chemical's manufacturer off too easily. [Read more.]( [Campbell joins 21 other state attorneys general to oppose settlement about 'forever chemicals']( Twenty-two attorneys general say a proposed $10.3 billion settlement over PFAS contamination lets the chemical's manufacturer off too easily. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Do you know what local athlete signed the richest contract in their league's history this week? Test your knowledge of the stories we covered and [take our Boston News Quiz](. - Welcome to "Streamaggedon." Online streaming is at the heart of the writers and actors strikes. And for many creators, the business has been "soul-crushing." Here's[how the new model is affecting actors, writers and fans]( — often for the worst. - There's [a new person in charge of the Huntington Theatre]( — for the first time in the 41-year history of the company. WBUR's Cristela Guerra interviewed the Huntington's newly announced executive director, Christopher Mannelli, about his first steps and vision for the job. - Alysia Abbott [writes in this commentary]( that the emotional conflict in "Barbie" isn't between men and women. It's between the life we imagined for ourselves as kids and the life we actually live as adults.  What We're Reading 📚 This section is supported by [Beacon Hill Books]( a new independent bookstore. - The Insidious Habit That Can Hurt Your Relationship ([The New York Times]( - Sudden cardiac arrest is a basketball problem ([TrueHoop]( - Greta Gerwig’s Lessons From Barbie Land ([The Atlantic](  Tell Me Something Good [Video: Trio of humpback whales breach in sync off Cape Cod (Boston.com)]( A family fishing off of Cape Cod Monday caught a rare sight: A trio of humpback whales breaching in unison. [Read more.]( [Video: Trio of humpback whales breach in sync off Cape Cod (Boston.com)]( A family fishing off of Cape Cod Monday caught a rare sight: A trio of humpback whales breaching in unison. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common previews [the Coolidge Corner Theatre's new film series celebrating 50 years of hip-hop](. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? 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