On this edition of Your Call, we explore the growing risk of heat illness to workers across the county.
Extreme heat is the number one weather-related cause-of-death in the US, killing more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods.
Few protections exist for workers who are vulnerable to heat illness. Republican Governors in Florida and Texas have signed legislation to prevent cities from taking action to regulate heat exposure.
Without government intervention, what steps do workers have to take to protect themselves?
Guests:
Carly Hyland, assistant professor of Cooperative Extension in Environmental Health Sciences and UC ANR
Jeanne Kuang, CalMatters accountability reporter
Grey Moran, Civil Eats reporter
Resources:
Grist: As summers grow ever hotter, OSHA appears ready to protect workers
Civil Eats: Florida Banned Farmworker Heat Protections. A Groundbreaking Partnership Offers a Solution.
CalMatters: California tries again to protect workers from indoor heat — except in prisons
The Journal of Climate Change and Health: “No matter how hot it is, you just have to do the work”: Examining farmworkers’ experiences with heat and climate change in Idaho
The New York Times: ‘Insane’ Heat Has Been Scorching Miami. It’s Not Even June.
Axios: Scorching heat wave to roast Texas, Gulf Coast over Memorial Day weekend
