(Several people died in the fields last year, such a scenario should not be repeated. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
Gov. Schwarzenegger's Cal-OSHA has announced today that they are kicking off a campaign to train employers to protect farm workers from the heat. Ironically, the same agency just proposed changes that actually undermine the current regulations aimed to protect workers from dying or becoming ill from extreme heat.
Teaching growers how to avoid illness and deaths among their workforce is important, but it's not enough. At the same time, the governor must make sure the laws are enforced. Such a system surely includes giving farm workers the tools to protect themselves.
For the past four years, the United Farm Workers has worked tirelessly to prevent heat deaths. In response to pressure from the UFW and their supporters, Gov. Schwarzenegger issued heat regulations. Despite these regulations, six farm workers died in the summer of 2008-as the rules went unenforced and ignored by employers.
The evidence points to neglect--not ignorance--as the cause of farm worker deaths. Also, the state's consistent reduction of fines for violations has made these regulations ineffective.
Please take action today and help us tell the governor that more of the same will not prevent deaths. Farm workers need a system that works. This requires a multi-faceted approach which would include: enforcing existing laws, giving farm workers the tools to protect themselves, and seeking serious criminal penalties for those whose gross negligence has caused the death of innocent people.
Our agriculture industry is enormously important to the continued vitality of the state's economy. Few will dispute that, after all this the Republican's bread and butter. Yet, we have so slashed our human services budget that we allowing farmworkers to die in the fields:
California's Occupational Safety and Health agency is investigating the death Wednesday of a farm laborer in Kern County as another possible heat-related fatality on the job. ... Cal-OSHA is already investigating the confirmed heat-stress deaths of one farmworker and an oil worker in May, and a possible third heat-related farmworker death in June. (Sac Bee 7/11/08)
I suppose these folks aren't the Republican's constituents, so let's slash Cal-OSHA further. They still have inspectors? Well, that seems darn right wasteful!
The sad truth is that Speaker Karen Bass is exactly right when she said earlier this week that we have cut the fat, we have cut the muscle, now we are getting to the bone. It's already a very hot summer, fatally so for some. Part of the solution rests with employers demanding that their workers take breaks and properly hydrate. But the state needs to be there to enforce worker safety as well.
Have you seen the weather report lately? I guess I shouldn't be surprised when I see this in the OC Register, but I am. Wow, it gets hot down here... But rarely THIS HOT!
People everywhere were beginning to seek relief Monday from a heat wave that will intensify over the next three days, with temperatures forecast to hit 105 degrees in some inland areas.
The worst heat will come Wednesday – the Fourth of July – says the National Weather Service. But by mid-afternoon Monday, the temperature had hit 99 in Mission Viejo and 96 in Placentia. In Palm Springs, it was 114.
The heat wave will be so oppressive the weather service has issued an "excessive heat" advisory for Wednesday and Thursday, meaning that temperatures will be high enough to cause heatstroke and dehydration.
Whoa! That's hot! But wait, why are we having more of these extreme heatwaves? We've had plenty of hot weather in Southern California before, but rarely this much reoccurring throughout the year. Wait, could this have something to do with it? Follow me after the flip for more...
Gov. Schwarzenegger's Cal-OSHA has announced today that they are kicking off a campaign to train employers to protect farm workers from the heat. Ironically, the same agency just proposed changes that actually undermine the current regulations aimed to protect workers from dying or becoming ill from extreme heat.