California has sharply cut enforcement of heat-protection laws for outdoor workers, even amid intensifying heat in recent years, according to a new investigation.
What's happening?
The Los Angeles Times and Capital & Main partnered up on the investigation, which found that the number of field inspections conducted by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health dropped by nearly 30% from 2017 to 2023.
The number of violations issued to employers during that time fell by more than 40%, according to the Times, which published an article about the two publications' findings.
Worker advocates told the Times that this reflects the state's poor enforcement of its outdoor heat-illness law, which calls for protections like break areas with shade and cool water as "close as practicable" to workers in temperatures exceeding 80 degrees.
"We just need Cal/OSHA to be out there more often and do more inspections that hopefully will save farmworker lives," Ephraim Camacho, a community worker for California Rural Legal Assistance, told the news organization. "We are constantly getting calls from workers complaining, specifically, about the lack of shade and drinking water."
Why is this investigation important?
The state has experienced its six warmest years on record since 2014, according to the Times, which cited data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. At least 17 workers have died in heat-related incidents in that period.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that U.S. heat-related deaths are expected to increase alongside more frequent and intense extreme heat events associated with rising global temperatures.
Of course, not all workers who are impacted by heat die, but they may suffer other consequences. According to the Center for American Progress, extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke; occupational injuries from high heat exposure, such as burns or falls from dizziness; and exacerbation of preexisting conditions such as asthma, kidney disease, and heart disease.
On top of that, economic impacts include lost worker productivity, increased health care costs, and lost wages, the Center for American Progress states.
What's being done to protect workers from the heat?
Cal/OSHA told the Times that it is working on improving training and investing in automation. It also says it is creating a new agricultural unit that will significantly expand enforcement.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has proposed federal heat protection for workers, but it could take years to go into effect if adopted.
In the meantime, some cities are taking matters into their own hands. For instance, the Phoenix city council passed a rule that requires employers to provide cool drinking water, regular and necessary breaks, access to shaded areas and/or air conditioning, and training for all city contractors and employees.
Phoenix is also looking at one innovative way to drop temperatures in this notoriously steamy city: white paint on streets, which can cool the pavement by up to 12 degrees and cools the air above as well. Neighborhoods in LA are using the same strategy.
You can protect yourself during heat waves by taking steps such as drinking water even if you're not feeling thirsty, avoiding strenuous exercise, finding a local cooling center if you lose power or don't have AC, and avoiding alcohol or drinks with caffeine.
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