USA: California workers continue to suffer from extreme heat despite new regulations, with labour advocates raising concerns about capacity for enforcement
"Why some workers swelter, despite new heat safety standards for indoor worksites"
Alexia Rangel recalled sweating as she rang up customer orders at a Taco Bell in Alhambra during an early August heat wave ...
She remembers feeling dizzy a few hours into her shift, then her vision shifting to black and white. The color drained from her face, she said, and her lips turned purple.
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After years of delays, California’s new rule regulating heat in indoor workplaces took effect in late July ...
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But more than four weeks after the regulations took effect, interviews with workers and union leaders indicate compliance varies by industry and workplace. Some workers interviewed by The Times said they continue to swelter. Many weren’t aware of the new rules.
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While employers have a legal responsibility to implement the new measures, advocates stressed that labor groups and community organizations will need to work with the state to raise awareness of the regulations and ensure employees have the information they need to push for changes. A major challenge will be supporting workers who fear retaliation, labor experts said.
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The state estimates the heat standards will apply to about 1.4 million workers ...
Taco Bell Corp. did not respond to specific questions about its compliance with the heat law, but issued a more general statement saying it prioritizes the health and safety of employees. “In this case, the franchise owner and operator of this location took swift action to address the issue,” the company said.
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Solis is a dishwasher with Flying Food Group, a catering company that services airlines....
“We don’t have the right to a cool-down break,” she said ...
Flying Food representatives did not respond to questions from The Times regarding how the company is complying with the heat standards.
Margot Alvarez, who sorts soiled bedding and other materials from convalescent homes and medical facilities at Braun Linen, a commercial laundry in Paramount, was also unaware of the regulations.
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Scott Cornwell, owner of Braun Linen, declined to comment on specific concerns Alvarez raised. He said his company works closely with the union that represents its workers, and has installed fans and air conditioning. He said workers have access to cooling areas and water.
“We are in compliance,” Cornwell said.
Bertha Servin, 58, works at Mission Linen Supply in Chino, an industrial laundry where workers sanitize and iron linens, uniforms and bedding for nearby hospitals.
... because of long-standing provisions built into their union contract, Servin said, she and her colleagues have access to fans and cooling machines, and workers come together to make requests, such as asking the company to repair a broken ice maker. The contract also requires the company to provide annual training sessions, where workers are told to be attentive to their bodies in the heat and to feel free to go to the lunch room for a cool-down break.
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