Interfaith Power and Light has joined Public Citizen, the United Farm Workers Foundation, and Farmworker Justice in calling for OSHA to set a standard for heat exposure. As climate change causes the average temperatures in the U.S. to increase, outdoor laborers will be exposed to excessive heat more frequently. Establishing a heat exposure standard is the first step to ensuring workers have access to water, shaded breaks, and other measures to prevent heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
OSHA has guidance for employers to voluntarily protect their workers from heat. In an ideal world, guidance would be enough, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Without a standard and requirements to protect workers, some employers will not provide the necessary measures. This is especially true in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and landscaping, where workers may have barriers to asserting their rights as human beings.
Place your name on the petition that urges OSHA to set a standard for worker heat exposure.
Use the social media toolkit to invite others at your place of worship to join this justice initiative.