Posted on Aug 17, 2021
Health Or A Paycheck: New Report Shows How Extreme Heat May Hurt Farmworkers
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People who work outside increasingly risk their income, illness and even death as climate change ramps up extreme heat.
That’s according to a first-of-its-kind study from the Union of Concerned Scientists, titled “Too Hot To Work.” The study focused on workers who spend some or all of their work time outside, including construction workers, emergency responders and landscapers.
In the Midwest, farmworkers comprise a large portion of the outdoor workforce.
“Farmworkers are one of the groups that's most vulnerable to heat-related illness and exposure,” says Rachel Licker, a senior climate scientist, who helped compile the report.
Agricultural workers are up to 30 times more likely to die as a result of exposure to extreme heat than the general workforce, she says. That’s because many can’t afford to miss a paycheck.
That’s according to a first-of-its-kind study from the Union of Concerned Scientists, titled “Too Hot To Work.” The study focused on workers who spend some or all of their work time outside, including construction workers, emergency responders and landscapers.
In the Midwest, farmworkers comprise a large portion of the outdoor workforce.
“Farmworkers are one of the groups that's most vulnerable to heat-related illness and exposure,” says Rachel Licker, a senior climate scientist, who helped compile the report.
Agricultural workers are up to 30 times more likely to die as a result of exposure to extreme heat than the general workforce, she says. That’s because many can’t afford to miss a paycheck.
Health Or A Paycheck: New Report Shows How Extreme Heat May Hurt Farmworkers
Posted from harvestpublicmedia.org
Farming
Agriculture
Climate Change
Health
Science
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel My son is a Union Painter has told me about how hot he gets working inside or out... he's not painting walls inside a home... it's more manufacturing & commercial buildings.
..."The report looks at county-level data, which shows that those numbers can change based on location.
“So we found, for example, that in Lawrence County, Illinois, individuals employed in farming, fishing and forestry occupations could see about $3,500 per year in earnings at risk by midcentury without action on climate change,” Licker says. “So really, really significant earnings.”...
..."The report looks at county-level data, which shows that those numbers can change based on location.
“So we found, for example, that in Lawrence County, Illinois, individuals employed in farming, fishing and forestry occupations could see about $3,500 per year in earnings at risk by midcentury without action on climate change,” Licker says. “So really, really significant earnings.”...
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