Dallas OKs Ordinance Requiring Construction Worker Rest Breaks

The Dallas City Council has approved an ordinance requiring rest breaks for construction workers. It requires contractors to give workers a 10-minute rest break for every four hours of work.

Council members approved the ordinance in a 10-5 vote at a meeting on Dec. 9.

According to the Austin-based Workers Defense Project, which supported the ordinance, a 2013 study by the University of Texas showed that “66 percent of Dallas construction workers reported that their employers failed to provide them with drinking water. In addition, 33 percent said they did not receive rest breaks and 12 percent said they witnessed a co-worker faint due to heat exhaustion.”

Ordinance implementation includes complaint-based, Code Compliance Services (CCS) and Building Inspections (BI) enforcement and preparations for receiving complaints through the City’s 3-1-1 service connection program beginning April 1, 2016.

All complaints of violations will be referred to 3-1-1 for case entry and dispatched to CCS for response within 24 hours.

Ordinance supporters say it is a common sense requirement but opponents say it exceeds the city’s authority.