Equitable Food Initiative’s Sun & Heat Protection toolkit is a free resource for agricultural employers and workers to take proactive steps to prevent heat-related illnesses. The free resource for the industry is available in both English and Spanish at equitablefood.org/sunprotection.
EFI says federal data illustrates the dangers of heat-related illnesses. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), farmworkers die of heatstroke at a rate nearly 20 times higher than the average U.S. civilian worker. This extreme risk is compounded by microclimates in the fields, where National Weather Service data shows temperatures can soar 8 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than the reported daily high.
“Heat illness remains one of the most serious and preventable risks facing farmworkers,” Alexandra Martinez, senior digital marketing and sales associate for EFI, says. “We updated this toolkit to make critical safety information even easier to access and apply in the field. By providing practical tools in both English and Spanish, we hope to help employers and workers take action before heat becomes a medical emergency.”
July is Extreme Heat Awareness Month and EFI has updated its toolkit with new resources and practical guidance developed with input from farmworkers and industry stakeholders. The updated toolkit includes:
- An updated Prevent Heat Fatalities section with strengthened guidance on recognizing and responding to heat-related emergencies.
- A new, easy-to-follow heat index table that outlines recommended actions to prevent heat illness at different temperature levels.
- Expanded recommendations in the Other Ways to Support Sun & Heat Protection for Farmworkers section, featuring additional solutions employers can implement to protect workers.
- Full bilingual access to the entire toolkit, including educational materials and video resources in both English and Spanish.
The toolkit also includes printable tip sheets and posters, educational resources and practical information employers can use to strengthen heat safety programs and worker training efforts.
EFI also urges farmworkers and supervisors to monitor colleagues by implementing a two-question rule. If a coworker hesitates more than three seconds to answer two simple questions or gives a nonsensical answer, stop work immediately. Workers should also be trained to recognize the signs of heatstroke, such as confusion, slurred speech or unconsciousness, and know to call 911 immediately while cooling the affected worker with ice or cold water until help arrives.
Protecting workers from extreme heat benefits both employees and employers, EFI says. Effective heat safety practices can help reduce injuries, prevent costly disruptions and support a healthier, more productive workforce. Heat exposure contributes to up to 2,000 worker fatalities and 170,000 heat stress-related injuries across the United States each year. Failure to implement simple heat safety measures has a massive economic impact, costing the U.S. economy nearly $100 billion annually.
