With wildfires becoming more frequent in more regions of the U.S., the health hazards of working outdoors in smoky air is an issue for hundreds of thousands of workers – not just those fighting the fires. In fact, workers don’t have to be that close to the fire to be affected. Wildfires are not only more frequent than ever, but they are also more severe and more toxic.
Farm workers in wildfire-prone areas face particular risks that come with agricultural work. The work they are performing usually cannot be postponed, and it is physically demanding work.
Producers have tough decisions to make when it comes to protecting their employees from wildfire smoke – the health effects aren’t fully understood, knowing when it is safe to work is largely a judgment call, and the growing number of regulations don’t offer much clarity in making that judgment.
What can wildfire smoke do to farm workers?
Researchers and public health professionals don’t fully understand the hazardous effects of wildfire smoke because of its complexity. Now that more wildfires are taking man-made structures with them, their smoke is made up of many different types and amounts of potentially toxic compounds. Wildfire smoke also changes quickly depending on the environment – and weather and the type of vegetation burning make a big difference as well.
Congregate housing and living situations can create a unique dilemma for agricultural workers during times of poor air quality, necessitating farm employers to consider air conditioning and regularly replacing air filters. This is especially important during smoky conditions since farm workers should have an opportunity to return to high-quality indoor air after spending several hours working outdoors exposed to smoke.
Even though the CDC acknowledges the limited amount of information on exactly how wildfire smoke can affect an outdoor worker’s health, there has been a large amount of research on how exposure to wildfire smoke affects the health of the general public. Based on that research, it is clear that exposure leads to adverse health outcomes such as eye irritation, sore throat, wheeze and cough; asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations; bronchitis and pneumonia; adverse birth outcomes and cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) outcomes.
Health hazards vary from person to person based on age, overall health conditions (pre-existing heart or lung disease), the amount of time they are exposed and the type of work they are performing. Heavier breathing in more physically demanding work such as farm labor also makes a difference.
How much is too much?
Wildfire smoke contains chemicals, gases and fine particles. The greatest health hazards from the smoke comes from breathing the fine particles in the air. The smallest and most harmful particulate matter found in smoky air is called PM2.5, which means the solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air have an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller.
In 2019, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) enacted an emergency regulation requiring employers to take measures to protect workers from wildfire smoke when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches 151 or greater and where the employer “should reasonably anticipate that employees may be exposed to wildfire smoke.”
One of the measures the California code requires is for employers to provide N-95 masks or other NIOSH-approved respirators to employees. In late September, California passed Assembly Bill 73, which included farm and agricultural workers in the definition of essential workers and gave them access to the state’s PPE stockpile.
Washington became the second state to file emergency rules to protect outdoor workers exposed to wildfire smoke. Like the California code, Washington requires employers to identify harmful smoke exposure and notify workers. Both states require employers to properly communicate and train employees on wildfire hazards, encourage them to report symptoms and seek medical care, and take actions to reduce or eliminate exposure whenever possible.
How employers can navigate hazy directives
When analyzing the hazards and exposures for these vulnerable employees, underwriters like to see employers taking positive and proactive measures to provide their employees access to indoor areas with filtered air and living conditions that provide a respite from smoke.
A 2018 study by the University of California – Davis found that while growers and employers were concerned about the effects of poor air quality on their workers, many had no clear plans for measuring air quality or managing workers when conditions were bad.
Farm workers themselves must be willing to take extra precautions to protect themselves while working in smoky air. The same U.C. – Davis study also found that when farmworkers were offered protective masks, many weren’t using them due to heat-related discomfort and chafing.
Here are some steps that can help employers do a better job of protecting employees from wildfire smoke:
- Check local news frequently for health warnings about air quality and check the EPA’s U.S. Fire and Smoke Map, the U.S. Forest Service or your local air pollution control district.
- Provide masks for employees and make sure they are using them correctly (bandanas and scarves will not provide adequate protection) and following OSHA’s respiratory protection standard.
- Have a system for communicating wildfire smoke hazards that is understandable to employees and provides a way for them to report wildfire smoke hazards without fear of reprisal.
- Change location of work or work schedules if possible.
- Reduce levels of physical activity, if possible, especially strenuous or heavy work.
- Encourage frequent breaks in areas free from smoke – provide an indoor facility with filtered air if possible.
Like wildfire smoke, this problem will linger
Agricultural employers, especially those in the western U.S., will be dealing with the problems of wildfire smoke longer than usual – whereas wildfire season used to subside substantially by October, now it lasts through December.
The wildfire statistics in the U.S. are alarming: From Jan. 1 through Sept. 19, 2021, there were 45,118 wildfires, compared with 43,556 in the same period in 2020. What used to be considered mainly a “California problem” is now spreading through the U.S. – 12 states reported 73 large fires.
Many of these states are growing the food for America’s tables, and producers operating under this escalating threat need help keeping themselves, their families and their employees safe from smoke hazards. It is incumbent upon employers and regulatory agencies to set procedures that protect farm workers.
