We're not animals, we're human beings': US farm workers labor in deadly heat with few protections

[turbinetree]

Advocates want Osha to issue federal heat standards, requiring water, shade and rest breaks

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The climate crisis is endangering farm workers around the US who work outside in excessive heat throughout the year without any federal protections from heat exposure in the workplace.

“It’s really challenging to work in the heat, but the reality is we have to, we don’t really have a choice, we have to keep working even when it’s incredibly hot,” said Tere Cruz, a farm worker for 15 years in Immokalee, Florida. “The first thing in the morning, you don’t feel it as much but then after 11am your body really starts to feel the heat. You feel like all the energy has been sucked out of you and it’s really hard to keep going.’’

Cruz explained workers often will get too hot and vomit from drinking too much water too fast, but they face immense pressure to continue working through heat stress.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/16/farmworkers-labor-deadly-heat-few-protections

This is really outrageous...

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Imagine when it's 118 degrees every day

JOBS JOBS JOBS

Overnight harvesters wanted!

[wryter2000]

3. And humid

In Florida, if not in California.

[wryter2000]

2. Animals?

They wouldn't treat their farm animal this way.

[Backseat Driver]

5. but owners/shareholders of mega-animal mills do exactly that! /eom

[wryter2000]

8. These particular people are mega-farmers

not mega-meat processors.

[Backseat Driver]

4. Yes, outrageous - so reminiscent of actual slavery.

so let common sense prevail insofar agri/food mills - “A city is made of brick, Pharaoh. The strong make many. The weak make few. The dead make none."

A population is fed by healthy farm workers; the wise and strong's product eventually feeds many; the weak and ill feed fewer and contribute to field productivity's waste, market shortages, and cost while the owners of that mega-field reap subsidies and profit; the dead of heat stroke/exhaustion and exposure to whatever makes those environments toxic and more costly to themselves and others - Will the next victim of wage slavery, self-inflicted or not, please step forward...bigPharma/healthcare; farm worker protections - they go hand in hand.

Still, do you really have to make hay when the sun shines, owners? Best dock the $$ of sick/weak low-wage field hands toiling the soil and crops rather than compassionately call it a day, dry the product for longer term storage; better control the weeds and seeds, inadequately sanitize processing equipment, to say nothing of mega-mill animal handling cruelties espoused by many vegan lifestyle overly aggressive activism.

[Bayard]

6. I lived north of the San Joaquin Valley in Calif for 12 years

When I'd drive down the mountains to go shopping, there would always be workers toiling way in the orchards and fields in the heat of the day--often triple digits. Low humidity means you don't realize you're in trouble till you're near heat stroke.

I never understood why owners couldn't set up big lights for this work to be done at night. But then, they're just migrant workers.

[GemDigger]

7. I once worked on a farm and if it were not for the 5 kids around me

that carried me a half mile to the house, I would have died.

They thought fast, poured what water we had on the field over me, carried me to the house, put me in the tub, turned on the cold water, tossed in what ice they had and brought me back from a very bad spot. To this day I cannot tolerate the heat.

I know what these people are going through and they need help from us to help with their outrage to get the help they need for their safety and to feed us.

[Hortensis]

9. OSHA's been working on this, but they should have had new standards

ready to issue in advance of these conditions.

With or without, employers have an absolute duty to maintain safe and humane work conditions, but part of the crisis is the competing critical need to save crops and lifestock in this emergency. How much trying is too much and how much not enough?