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“These pro-heat stress bills are really about making sure no one is held accountable if something bad happens to workers…if they get sick or die in extreme heat,” said Florida District Director for Miami-based custodial workers' union SEIU 32BJ Helene O’Brien....

González says her employer, HHS Aviation, a cleaning company that contracts for Delta Airlines, has also ignored federal workplace safety standards.

HHS Aviation does, in theory, provide water, González said. But not in practice.

After multiple employees complained about a lack of water, which is against federal law, management purchased and placed a water cooler in the break room two months ago, she said. However, Gonzalez added, there is no water in it – and there has never been.

This leaves González and her coworkers thirsty, even dehydrated. She carries water to work, but doesn’t have a place to store it outside her locker. She can’t carry it with her while cleaning, or waiting for a plane to arrive – she can only drink when she is on break near her locker. She said she was unaware of any other water sources available to the employees.

HHS Aviation disputed González's accounts of the heat and lack of water in her workplace, insisting that employees were allowed to refuse to board a plane and begin cleaning until it was fully cooled, and were trained to stop working when it was unsafe to do so. Additionally, in an email, the company said employees have had access to clean drinking water since operations began Sept. 19, 2023. Too, HHS said, break areas contained bottled water and hallways sported communal water fountains...

After the USA TODAY Network-Florida called HHS Aviation and Delta Airlines about González's complaints, she said management finally filled the water cooler in the break room.

Delta Airlines declined to comment...