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Abstract
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As a series of record-breaking heat waves with temperatures as high as 117 °F rocked Oregon this past summer, the state enacted an emergency rule to protect agricultural and other workers from the extreme heat.
By mid-July, the state was reeling from more than 100 heat-wave related deaths. Two weeks after a 38-year-old immigrant died on a farm while installing irrigation lines in more than 100° temperatures, the state enacted the emergency rule. It focuses on access to water, shade, and rest--3 pillars necessary to protect workers from heat illnesses and injuries, according to a guide for clinicians released in June by the Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN), a nonprofit organization that advocates for farmworkers and the clinicians serving them.
By the end of the year, Oregon plans to enact permanent heat protections for workers. California, Washington, and Minnesota already have heat standards, and more states are considering them. Now, a coalition of advocacy organizations and legislators is pushing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to adopt a national heat standard for workplaces. Advocates and scientists studying the health and safety of agricultural workers say laws requiring well-established prevention strategies are essential but not sufficient on their own...
Language: en |