California Growers Shut Down For Heat Violations

Cal/OSHA enforcement officials shut down two farming operations near the Southern California town of Winchester Tuesday because the growers allegedly didn’t comply with heat safety regulations.

With many regions of the state hitting triple-digit temperatures this week, Cal/OSHA is urging growers to make sure they are in full compliance with the heat illness prevention standard.

On Tuesday, operations at Rheingans Farms and Greenfield Inc, were shut down because of their workers were exposed to high heat and didn’t get adequate shade and water. Both operations were described as small-acreage growers, farming such crops as Chinese vegetables, watermelons, and bell peppers.

“For employees working outdoors, exposure to high temperatures without basic protective measures like water, shade breaks, training, and emergency preparedness can be life threatening. We will not hesitate to stop an employer’s operations when we find this kind of situation,” said Len Welsh, chief of Cal/OSHA. “Whenever temperatures are rising into the 90’s and 100’s, as they have been this week, employers need to make sure they are covering all the bases when it comes to heat illness prevention.

At Rheingans Farms, temperatures were in the 90’s by noon. Investigators stopped there and found employees working in a field without access to shade. The employer had provided no water and employees had to bring their own or go without. The employer had no heat illness prevention program and no provision for how to respond in the event an employee became ill from the heat.

At the Greenfield worksite investigators found employees working in a vegetable field and measured the temperature to be 98 degrees. The employer had no shade, no heat illness prevention program, no training, and no emergency procedures.

Each of these employers was issued An Order Prohibiting Use (OPU) to halt their operations until they come into full compliance with the heat illness prevention standard.