Agricultural Workers' Health and Safety

The Protection of Essential Workers

Tomás Zurita

MPH Candidate 2024

He/Him/El

Photo by @astuesse on Twitter

In recent years, wildfire size in the United States has considerably increased and has led to unhealthy air quality for millions of people.¹ Increases in fire activity, such as area burned, number of prominent fires, and length of fire seasons, are documented across the western U.S., presenting an undeniable argument that climate change has contributed to the recent increases.² This dangerous trend has greatly impacted vulnerable agricultural workers due to their outdoor and physically demanding work requirement.³ State and federal governments need to create and implement more rules and policies to protect our essential workers.

Oregon has adopted multiple rules to deal with prolonged heat and smoke exposures as a result of the extreme wildfires in the last few years.⁴ Additionally, farmworker’s advocacy coalitions and other organizations guided changes made on the final sets of the new Oregon Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) rules. The new rules are considered the nation’s most protective smoke and heat rules for workers.⁵ These basic protections support agricultural workers’ health and safety and highlight opportunities for policy improvements.

Farmworker’s Advocacy Coalitions & Organizations

Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN)
The Oregon Environmental Council
Northwest Workers’ Justice Project
Climate Jobs PDX

Photo by: AP Photo/Noah Berger on KRCRTV

Impacts of Climate Change

Climate Change

The average surface air temperature has increased around the globe by about 1.8°F (1.0°C) over the last 121 years, with recent years being the warmest on record.⁶ Record-setting heat seems to become common in the US as the average temperature continues to rise. The dry seasons on the West Coast of the United States are getting hotter and lasting longer, which serves as fuel for wildfires that are y to climate change.⁷ Climate change may lead to an increase in future wildfire occurrence through the early warming temperatures in the spring, reduced rainfall, longer dry seasons, and drier vegetation.⁸

Figure Description: The red bars show the annual average temperature increases, and the blue bars indicate the annual average temperatures decrease.

Figure by K. Kunkel at The Climate Science Special Report

Image by https://earth.nullschool.net/

Image Description: The image shows the amount of particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air on Sept. 11 2020 in Oregon. The PM2.5 concentrations reached up to 4043 µg/m3 in some areas.

Wildfire Smoke

In recent years Oregon has experienced some of the most dangerous wildfires. On Labor Day (Sept. 7^th) 2020, Oregon was faced with unusually large wildfires that spread rapidly by dry winds that blow down a slope due to gravity and drove the spread of fire toward residential areas in the following three days.⁹ Red flag warnings describe high-wind, low humidity periods that increase risk of wildfire.

As a result of the increased heat and wildfire smoke production, vulnerable occupational groups’ health is put at risk. Agricultural workers are particularly at risk since they work physical outdoor jobs during dry and hot wildfire seasons. Elevated smoke particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentration has been linked to thousands of deaths per year from fire emissions with future predictions pointing to a substantial increase.³

Photo by Ramiro from United Farm Workers on Instagram

Extreme Heat

Exposure to extreme heat has been the top cause of weather-related deaths in the US, on average with agricultural workers dying at approximately 20 times the rate of all other jobs.¹⁰ There is an abundance of the latest research looking at the acute and long-term effects of heat and smoke on health and the disproportionate impact on the vulnerable and essential workforce.

Heat and Wildfire Health Impacts

Image by Climate Central

Byproducts of wildfire smoke create a mixture of particulate matter (PM) such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and other organic compounds.¹¹ One systemic review found that wildfire smoke can potentially cause cardiovascular impacts, autonomic reflex activation, systemic (oxidative) stress and inflammation, and direct interaction with the network of blood and lymph vessels.^{11, 12}

Prolonged heat exposure and overheating induce inflammation and heatstroke that can damage the kidney, liver, heart, and other vital organs. Those with pre-existing conditions and risk factors such as low income, migration status, type of agricultural work, and gender are more susceptible to heat-related illness.¹³

The nature of agricultural work and the fact that many workers are undocumented and live with low incomes increase their risk of illness. Many workers may fear filing a complaint or reporting sub-par conditions. Current climate trajectories and fire seasons are expected to worsen, highlighting urgency for protecting our essential workers.

Oregon is Leading the Nation

Fortunately, Oregon has set one of the nation’s most protective smoke and heat rules for agricultural workers. The adopted rules are designed to set protections from hazardous wildfire smoke and establish safeguards against high temperatures.⁴

Photo by UFW/United Farm Workers on Twitter

Photo by Abigail Dollins at Statesmen Journal

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division 4, Agriculture 437-004-9791:

Protection from Wildfire Smoke – Encompasses a variety of exposure controls, pieces of training, and information for employers whose employees are/or will be exposed to wildfire smoke with ambient air concentration for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) at or above an AQI of 101 (35.5 µg/m³).¹⁴ The rule will:

Information and formal training of employees on:
- - Symptoms of wildfire smoke exposure
  - Rights to report health issues without fear of retaliation
  - Air forecast checks by employees and employers
  - Interpretations of the latest exposure results
Establish communication systems that:
- - Communicate critical updates via a two-way system between supervisors and employees
  - Notifies workers when exposed to an AQI 101
  - Enable and encourage employees to be vigilant and inform supervisors of negative health symptoms.
Exposure controls set:
- - Employers must use their resources to control or reduce employee exposure to less than AQI 201. i.e., Relocate work to another outdoor location with better air quality or change worker schedules.
  - If exposure surpasses AQI 201, employers must ensure that workers wear filtering facepiece respirators approved by National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH). As well as maintain an adequate supply of masks and respirators.

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division 4, Agriculture 437-004-1131:

Protection from Heat Illness - is implemented whenever an employee is asked to work or complete activities (indoor or outdoor environments) where the heat index equals or is greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The rule will require employers to:

Establish and provide one or more shaded areas that are accessible to employees exposed to the outdoor heat. The shaded area will need to be open to the air or have mechanical ventilation for cooling
Employees must have access to sufficient cool drinking water. The supply should be enough for an employee to consume ~32 ounces per hour.
When the reduction of high heat exposure is limited:
- - There must be a line of communication via an electronic device to maintain employees or supervisors overseeing employees up to date with any changes or reports of any illness.
  - Employees and employers will be formally trained to identify and react appropriately to any signs of employees experiencing suspected heat-related illness (employer-provided radio, buddy systems, etc.).
To decrease heat exposure in plus 90 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures, employers must decide and implement a set rest break schedule. They may choose from three OSHA-provided options: [Note to self: add tables reflecting options]
- - A) Employers may self-designed schedules using four specified elements that satisfy OSHA requirements
  - B) Employers may implement a plan using the example designed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  - C) Employers may decide to use a simple schedule design created by Oregon OSH.

Community Action Highlights

Image source: Oregon.gov

PCUN

Piñeros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, or PCUN, is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(4) organization that advocates and empowers farmworkers and working Latinx families in Oregon. PCUN is community-based and focuses on community organizing, increasing Latinx legislative representation, and policy advocacy at all levels.

There is a growing power in the Latinx workforce, constituency, and general population that will play an important role in the civic engagement and economy of our country. However, due to systemic racism and inequities, Latinx working communities are marginalized and systematically oppressed.

Organizations like PCUN picture an Oregon where farmworkers and Latinx working families can be heard and acknowledged. This is especially true when forces outside of their control impact their health and well-being, such as extreme heat and wildfire smoke. They value workers’ ability to confront exploitation and all its symptoms to continue to strengthen workers’ rights. PCUN’s Wildfire Preparation & Rapid Response Campaign (WPRR) is one example of their work.

During the summer of 2022, a team led by Andrea Garcia Torres, Volunteer and Special Projects Coordinator, was able to communicate with 1892 community members through various forms of outreach. Such as bilingual presentations, Facebook Live, and YouTube videos.

The goal of WPRR is to:

Increase community knowledge about the impacts of wildfire smoke and its toxic air. As well as inform what to do when exposed to smoke and how to properly use an N95 mask.
Raise climate change and wildfire awareness within the community
Reduce fear among the farm working community surrounding fires, smoke, and heat.
- Provide time at presentations for questions from community members and their concerns.
Collaborate with other organizations to promote rapid response and increase access to information in multiple languages.
- PCUN worked with:
  - Puentes entre Culturas
  - Northwest Family Services organization
  - World Forestry Center
  - Alianza Poder
  - Other organizations from the Disaster Resilience Learning Network

Additionally, the WPRR team recorded two announcements that were played on their radio station, Radio Poder 98.3 FM, five times a day during the month of September. One was about the materials needed for an emergency backpack, and the other was about the three levels of evacuation.

Celebration Nation

Celebration Nation is a non-profit in Central California that supports farm workers through donation distribution and food bank. The organization is volunteer-run, serving over 10,000 individuals every month across six towns in California. Additionally, the non-profit is dedicated to serving, informing, and empowering Latinx/indigenous communities via education, resource, and community health.

The programs provided by Celebration Nation include:

SHE SE PUEDE: Women Hygiene Care – Provides farm-working women with monthly menstrual products.
Celebration Nation x Doordash Team up to End Hunger – Celebration Nation partnered up with Doordash to offer free delivery of food boxes with fresh produce to low-income communities in Los Angeles.
Mommy and Baby Care for Farm Workers program – The program is focused on serving farm working mothers and their children through the distribution of diapers, formula, baby food, and family resources.
Fruits of Labor Food Bank for Farm Workers Program – Donations by sponsors provide grocery bags of fruits and vegetables for families experiencing food insecurity.

Flor Martinez (@flowerinspanish) is the founder of Celebration Nation. She immigrated to the U.S. from Jalisco, Mexico, and her life experience led her to advocate for immigrants and farm workers. Flor is currently working on an original educational program with resource access for marginalized communities. In addition to her non-profit, Flor is an activist, influencer, and community advocate that uses her social media presence to shine a light on social injustices. During the wildfires of 2020, Flor went viral for speaking out about the smoke, heat waves, and pandemic.

Other Wildfire Resources

PCUN Digital Toolkit for Wildfire Prevention (English/Spanish) : Digital Toolkit WPRR

References

Jaffe, D. A., O’Neill, S. M., Larkin, N. K., Holder, A. L., Peterson, D. L., Halofsky, J. E., & Rappold, A. G. (2020). Wildfire and prescribed burning impacts on air quality in the United States. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 70(6), 583–615. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2020.1749731
Abatzoglou, J. T., & Williams, A. P. (2016). Impact of anthropogenic climate change on wildfire across western US forests. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(42), 11770–11775. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1607171113
Marlier, M. E., Brenner, K. I., Liu, J. C., Mickley, L. J., Raby, S., James, E., Ahmadov, R., & Riden, H. (2022). Exposure of agricultural workers in California to wildfire smoke under past and future climate conditions. Environmental Research Letters, 17(9), 094045. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac8c58
Oregon.gov. (2021). Oregon osha adopting 2 emergency rules protecting workers against wildfire smoke and occupants of employer-provided housing against heat dangers. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health : Oregon OSHA adopting 2 emergency rules protecting workers against wildfire smoke and occupants of employer-provided housing against heat dangers : 2021 News : State of Oregon. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://osha.oregon.gov/news/2021/Pages/nr2021-33.aspx
Samayoa, M. (2022, May 11). Oregon adopts heat and smoke rules for workers. OPB.org. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/11/oregon-heat-wildfire-smoke-farmwork-laborer-rules/
Wuebbles, D.J., D.W. Fahey, K.A. Hibbard, B. DeAngelo, S. Doherty, K. Hayhoe, R. Horton, J.P. Kossin, P.C. Taylor, A.M. Waple, and C.P. Weaver, 2017: Executive summary. In: Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume I [Wuebbles, D.J., Fahey, D.W., Hibbard, K.A., Dokken, D.J., Stewart, B.C., and T.K. Maycock (Eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA, pp. 12-34, doi: 10.7930/J0DJ5CTG.
Jacobo J., Zee G. (2021), Climate change may be causing an early start to fire season in the West. https://abcnews.go.com/US/climatechange-causing-early-start-fire-season-west/story?id=77737065. (Accessed 13 November 2022).
Brown, E. K., Wang, J., & Feng, Y. (2021). US wildfire potential: A historical view and future projection using high-resolution climate data. Environmental Research Letters, 16(3), 034060. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aba868
Abatzoglou, J. T., Rupp, D. E., O'Neill, L. W., & Sadegh, M. (2021). Compound extremes drive the western Oregon wildfires of September 2020. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL092520. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL092520
USGCRP, 2017: Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume I [Wuebbles, D.J., Fahey, D.W., Hibbard, K.A., Dokken, D.J., Stewart, B.C., and T.K. Maycock (Eds.) (eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA, 470 pp., doi: 10.7930/J0J964J6.
Chen, H., Samet, J. M., Bromberg, P. A., & Tong, H. (2021). Cardiovascular health impacts of wildfire smoke exposure. Particle and fibre toxicology, 18(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-020-00394-8
Perez, C. M., Hazari, M. S., & Farraj, A. K. (2015). Role of autonomic reflex arcs in cardiovascular responses to air pollution exposure. Cardiovascular toxicology, 15(1), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12012-014-9272-0
López-Carr, D., Vanos, J., Sánchez-Vargas, A., Vargas, R., & Castillo, F. (2022). Extreme heat and covid-19: A dual burden for farmworkers. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.884152
Department of Consumer and Business Services, Heat Illness Prevention (n.d.). Salem, OR; Oregon State Archives. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action?ruleVrsnRsn=289426
Department of Consumer and Business Services, Protection from Wildfire Smoke (n.d.). Salem, OR; Oregon State Archives. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action;JSESSIONID_OARD=GKQcGTdUVDwjFyV1251CYBPpyR6VoEComIOv_uFhkkpPlJm2jqH!3963798?ruleVrsnRsn=289454

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