Heat exposure can be deadly for farm workers. Now, advocates are asking the feds to step in

Farm workers are 20 times more likely to die of heat-related illnesses than other workers. With climate change, the risk is only going to increase. Over the past three decades, about 800 workers have died from heat exposure; almost one in five worked in agriculture. Washington, Minnesota, and California have regulations that aim to protect the people who harvest our food from the heat. Of those, California’s rules are the strictest. Now, farm worker advocates are petitioning the federal government to follow California’s lead and enact regulations protecting workers nationwide from the heat. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has received the petition, and a spokesperson says it is under review.