Dexter, Merkley: Congress Must Protect Farmworkers from Hazardous Wildfire Smoke, Extreme Heat

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (OR-03) today announced they introduced the Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act. The bicameral bill would put safeguards in place for farmworkers facing the dangers of wildfire smoke and extreme weather.

“Climate chaos is creating hotter, longer summers and leading to a deadlier wildfire season, putting many farmworkers at risk of smoke- and heat-related health issues on the job. Protecting them from the dangers of hazardous smoke is good for workers, good for employers, and good for the public who rely on their products,” said Merkley. “The Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act will provide essential protections in the workplace and help save the lives of farmworkers working outdoors across the nation.”

 “As a lung and critical care doctor, I’ve seen how wildfire smoke destroys lungs and lives. Farmworkers are among the most exposed, laboring in hazardous air to keep food on our tables. Their health and safety are not optional, and Oregon has long led the way in protecting outdoor workers. I’m proud to introduce legislation that demands the federal government also step up and protect the people who feed this nation,” said Dexter.

During wildfire season, farmworkers must often work quickly in smoky conditions to harvest crops and protect them from smoke damage, and many do so without proper respiratory protection. The Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act would:

• Require employers to provide N95 masks or other National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-certified respiratory protection, along with training and education, to farmworkers exposed to hazardous air conditions.
• Direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop and publish an official standard to protect employees from wildfire smoke and extreme heat exposure.

The Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and supported by Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN).

"Wildfire season grows in frequency and intensity, yet farmworkers continue to work in the frontlines harvesting our food. Without federal protections, many workers will continue to risk their health and lives. We must ensure all workers who are exposed to unhealthy air quality have the protections they need for a safe working environment,” said Ira Cuello-Martinez, the Policy and Advocacy Director of PCUN.

Merkley has long advocated for federal resources, solutions, and investments to combat increasingly extreme heat events and wildfire seasons that are longer and more intense. He leads the Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act and Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act to bolster federal collaboration and assistance in the face of these threats. 

Merkley and Dexter also support the bicameral Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation that protects the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. In the Oregon State Legislature, Dexter led the passage of the Right to Refuse Dangerous Work law to protect low-income communities and outdoor workers from heat-related deaths.

Full text of the Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act can be found by clicking here.

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