The Biden administration unveiled a sweeping rule on Tuesday to protect American workers from extreme heat an already deadly threat that is becoming worse as climate change drives up temperatures around the globe.

The long-anticipated regulation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would, if finalized, establish the nations first-ever federal safety standard for excessive heat in both indoor and outdoor workplaces. It is expected to cover some 36 million workers agricultural laborers, roofers and warehouse workers, to name a few and dramatically curb heat-related injuries and deaths, the administration said.

During a speech about extreme weather and climate change at the District of Columbias emergency operations center on Tuesday, President Joe Biden detailed the proposal and paused when he noted it will ensure workers who toil in sweltering conditions have access to shade and water.

To think wed have to tell people [to provide] access to shade and water, he said.

The move comes amid dangerous heat warnings across much of the U.S. South, Midwest and West and on the heels of the hottest year in recorded history .

An estimated 2,302 heat-related deaths were recorded in the U.S. last year, up from 1,722 in 2022 and 1,602 in 2021. An average of 33 heat-related workplace deaths and 3,389 injuries and illnesses occurred each year from 1992 to 2020, although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said those numbers are likely vast underestimates.