Occupational Safety
Preventable Tragedies: Farmworkers and Heat-Stress
Written by barb howe Thursday, 29 May 2008 15:04
The story of the young farmworker in California who died recently due to heat-stress from working long hours in triple digit temperatures is outrageous enough, but what was particularly disturbing about the story is that the farm labor contractor now being investigated for her death was cited for similar abuses in the past.
Shelley Davis, our Deputy Director said the death of Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez was "unnecessary and preventable" and that many employers and farmworkers don't take the danger of heat related injury and death very seriously.
The problem is compounded by limited enforcement of occupational safety standards, lack of awareness of the dangers of heat and the fear of workers to complain or speak out about unsafe conditions. There are positive things farmworker advocates can do, however, to help prevent tragedies such as this one from recurring. We have resources that can help.
FJ staffer Pamela Rao helped prepare the report. She has a lot of experience in advocating on public health issues for migrant communities. She says clinicians and other service providers can play an important role in safeguarding the health of the farmworkers in their communities. “They need to speak out. Their interventions on behalf of farmworkers could literally save lives. Those who see farmworkers with symptoms of heat-related illnesses should be proactive about filing complaints and educating their communities about the necessity of taking precautions”.
For more information on public health issues, see the health and safety resources page on our other website.
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