The Boston City Council today unanimously approved an ordinance that would require city departments and private companies working on city projects outdoors to protect their workers from increasingly frequent heat waves.

The measure, which requires access to cool drinking water and shaded rest areas and regular rest breaks whenever the heat index exceeds 80 degrees, now goes to the mayor for her consideration.

The proposed ordinance provides an exception for heat-related protection measures incorporated into collective bargaining agreements. If the mayor signs it, the measure would go into effect in time for next summer.

The measure will help protect workers from heat-related injuries and death as the climate continues to warm, backer Benjamin Weber (West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain) said. We

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