– Agricultural workers make up a fifth of heat-related fatalities between 2017 and 2022
– Academics and advocacy groups emphasize the overlooked consequence of climate change—heatwaves
– Increasing calls to provide preventive measures for these vulnerable workers
Rising Toll: Heatwaves Bear Down on Missouri’s Agrarian Backbone
For those who labour under the Missouri sun, ‘beating the heat’ is more than a summer phrase—it’s a matter of life and death. Citing data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a fifth of reported heat-related deaths between 2017 and 2022 involved agricultural workers.
Unseen Consequence: Climate Change and Heatwaves
In these uncertain times where climate change amounts to a worldwide concern, there is a growing need to acknowledge one overlooked repercussion – the recurrent heatwaves. Academics along with occupational health experts, stress the underreported influence of these heatwaves on the state’s agricultural workforce. Advocacy groups join in this concern, as they vouch for greater visibility of this issue and call for action to safeguard these hardworking individuals.
The Vulnerable: Agricultural Workers and Heat Exposure
Greatly dependent on the mercy of weather conditions, agricultural workers frequently find themselves on the frontline of climate change. The unrelenting rise in temperature combined with strenuous physical labor, long hours, and often inadequate access to shade or water, makes these workers particularly vulnerable.
Call to Action: Protective Measures Needed
A call for suitable safety measures to be put into place is growing louder, amid this disheartening scenario. Preventive practices such as offering regular breaks in shade, providing adequate drinking water, and limiting exposure to extreme heat are suggested.
The Breezy Take
It’s high time the ‘Show-Me’ state shows it cares for its agricultural workers – the ones who keep its heart beating under the hot sun. Climate change is a reality we must confront, and its impact on our agricultural workforce needs more than just acknowledgment – it warrants action. The call for effective preventive measures is not just about protecting our people; it’s about protecting our agrarian backbone, our food supply, and our state’s future. Let’s bring this issue out of the shade and into the light; because no one, especially those who feed us, should be left out in the heat.
Original article: https://stlpr.org/economy-business/2023-08-25/midwest-farmworkers-struggle-with-extreme-heat-and-almost-no-regulatory-safeguards