Heat stress among farmworkers: A preventable cause of injury and death

Every year, a number of farmworkers die from heat-related illness while working in agricultural fields, and many times that number are injured by heat stress while on the job. This type of occupational heat stress, and the resulting injuries and deaths, can be completely avoided by means of a few straightforward precautions. Heat stress occurs when body heat builds up from both external (e.g., the weather) and internal (e.g., muscle activity) sources. The resulting increase in core body temperature can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and if permitted to continue, to neurological impairment, multi-organ failure, and death. Farmworkers are at elevated risk for heat-related illness because their work involves long hours of highly physical labor, usually in the sun, often with limited access to shade and water. At lower levels, heat stress can cause workers to become fatigued and disoriented, increasing their risk of injury. At higher levels, it can become a life-threatening medical emergency with little advance warning. This presentation will provide an overview of heat-related illness, including recognition and management, and describe ways in which workers can protect themselves on the job. It will also review existing federal and state policies and regulations that require employers to provide adequate water, shade, and breaks to field workers.