CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ga. — The Biden administration proposed a new rule this week aimed at protecting employees who work in extreme heat.
In Central Georgia, we've seen several heat advisories and drought warnings since the start of summer. At Dickey Farms, workers come to pick peaches for hours. The proposed national rule would establish the first major safety standard to protect indoor and outdoor workers from heat-related injuries or illnesses.
“I mean out here I mean I've seen the sensation be probably almost 105, so it does get pretty hot," said Eleazar Carrazco a supervisor at the peach farm.
A study by the Health and Human Services Agency found that agriculture workers are 35 times more likely to die from heat exposure.
The proposed rule would require employers to train workers and supervisors on the signs and symptoms of heat illnesses. Carrazco said he's always listening to the crew to avoid the worst.
"We don’t want anybody to collapse I mean that’d be the worst-case scenario somebody have a heat stroke, somebody faint. I mean that’s things we make sure don’t happen here," Carrazco said.
Under the proposed rule, employers have to offer rest breaks, provide shade and water, and help new workers build tolerance for high temperatures. Carrazco said they have protocols to be safe and efficient.
"We got about three, four coolers ten gallon coolers (of ice water). Probably give them a break every hour or so. We’ll find a good shady spot. Let them rest, get their energy back and back to work," Carrazco said.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration there have been six heat-related deaths at work in Georgia since 2017.
Since then, the state still has not adopted their own workplace standards for heat exposure. Lee Dickey said it’s important to address safety, but he’s interested to see what the rule will actually look like.
"Extended break, do we need to go in the shade? Do you have to do it every time? That may not necessarily work with your physical location like of course we want to try to do that and hopefully it doesn’t add more hours to the day. You know, 'Hey, we stopped for a break, but oh we need to go over here or to the edge of the field,' versus being able to just stop working. We’ll see," Dickey said.
He said they haven't had problems before and plan to keep it that way by putting their workers’ health first.
Other groups that could benefit from the national standard would be landscapers, construction, warehouse and factory workers. If the federal rule takes effect, it would override state measures and it become the standard for workplace rules.