ANGOLA — A federal judge has extended a rule that prevents the Louisiana State Penitentiary from sending workers to the Angola farm line during times of extreme heat.

In a decision filed late last month, U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson said farm line workers can be in the fields until the heat index reaches 88 degrees. Temperature readings must occur every half-hour.

Formerly, field workers were called in for a "heat alert" when the heat index exceeded 91, but the temperatures were only monitored once every two hours. 

Jackson said the 88-degree mark was chosen specifically to "preserve human health and safety."

"Numerous courts have found that a heat index of 88 degrees Fahrenheit or higher poses a substantial risk of adverse health outcomes," it read.

The order extends a previous one by 90 days. It will last well into the fall.