Top schools, labor leaders promote heat illness education

STOCKTON — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and Labor Secretary Victoria Bradshaw Thursday announced a partnership to educate migrant workers about heat illness prevention.

The partnership between the California Department of Education and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency creates a line of communication through which the two agencies can educate migrant students and their families about the importance of preventing heat-related illnesses before they happen.

"Nothing is worse than reacting to an illness or a death," said Bradshaw.

O'Connell said the Department of Education would disseminate information through the state's migrant education program, parent advisory councils and summer school programs.

The superintendent referenced the death of Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez, 17, who died at Lodi Memorial Hospital two days after collapsing in a Farmington vineyard.

"This information can go a long way in preventing the type of tragedy witnessed recently in the Central Valley," O'Connell said.

In addition, the labor agency's Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, plans to provide pamphlets in both English and Spanish to educators of migrant workers and their families.

Tips for working in the heat

Let somebody know if you are feeling ill.

Be aware of what heat-related illness symptoms are, including dizziness, fatigue, poor concentration and excessive or lack of sweating.

Know where your water source is and avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks, which will only dehydrate you further.

Source: Cal/OSHA

Representatives from Cal/OSHA will also travel throughout California promoting safety for migrant workers.

Already the labor agency has focused training employers in avoiding and detecting heat illness in their workers.

By California law employers have to have access to clean and cool drinking water, shade, rest periods and be trained in working safely in the heat, according to a brochure issued by Cal/OSHA.

Bradshaw said her agency plans to enforce these standards by making unannounced visits to work sites.

"We've issued a significant number of citations this year," she said.

Though the event was originally set to take place on a watermelon farm off Mariposa Road, it was moved to the San Joaquin County Office of Education to accommodate the a larger than expected crowd.

Contact reporter Amanda Dyer at amandad@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

educated reader wrote on Jul 19, 2008 12:39 AM:

" As for PG&E workers, compare making the enormous amount of money they do to working for less than the minimum wage that exploitive labor contractors pay. Give me a break! "

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educated reader wrote on Jul 19, 2008 12:36 AM:

" boonablis: You must have been the smartest baby on the planet - no one had to TEACH you anything - it was all instinct, I imagine. Haven't you ever had a job where you didn't know what the "rules" were? When you could take a break, get a drink of water or use the restroom? These people are afraid of doing all the "necessities" because they don't want to get fired. They aren't told what the rules are in the first place! Get a clue about how life is for the people on the lowest rung of the ladder and quit being a know-it-all smarty pants. You're not! "

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sam wrote on Jul 18, 2008 6:30 PM:

" Dogs, I agree.

I drove by a crew paving today in the sun. Gee, no shade around. They were fine. They started early and quit early and they take care of themselves.

And thank God for our PG&E men. They work in the worst conditions to make sure we all have electricity. "

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sam wrote on Jul 18, 2008 6:23 PM:

" Boon, great blog. I have worked in our fields for the past 35 years. You have to listen to your body. It will tell you when to get water, when to find shade, and when to quit.

I LOVE your "wipe my azz" comment. "

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dogs4you wrote on Jul 18, 2008 2:19 PM:

" Well said boonablis, wipe my azz, thats a new one on me. As far as heat is concerned, the gas and electric crews of PG%E put up with the heat everyday. Not much shade on the top of a 50' pole, nor at the bottom of a 5' hole, hey it`s summer and it gets hot, these guys deal with it everyday, they even have paper cups to drink water out of. Farm workers are not alone when it comes to working in the heat. When it comes time to go home, the field workers stop what their doing since what ever their doing will be there tomorrow, not so with the PG&E crews since most are working on a dead line to finish the job that day, or stay until the job is finished. "

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boonablis wrote on Jul 18, 2008 6:45 AM:

" Wow, this is totally necessary.
I mean can I get consultation on how to wipe my azz. Or how about knowing when to go number one? If I cannot get instruction on these issues, i dont know if I will be able to make it in this society.
O'connell-nice ploy, I can see right through your B.S.
If one is thirsty, drink water. If you are hot, maybe you should slow down, and take a break. I cannot believe some of the crap we do up here, how much tax money did we spend on this "break through" "

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