In California, 20 people died from heat-related illnesses at work between the years 2010 and 2017.
Many of those people worked outdoors. But at least seven worked indoors, where brutally hot days can be just as dangerous.
Frazzini: “Even though they aren’t exposed directly to the sun, the temperatures get really high.”
Ali Frazzini is with the Los Angeles County chief sustainability office.
A few years ago, her office studied how people in L.A. County were affected by global warming.
She says workplaces like indoor car washes and warehouses without air conditioning can become extremely hot during the summer.
Sometimes, they can get even hotter than it is outside, which puts employees in danger of developing serious health problems like heat stroke.
Despite these risks, many of the regulations and rules enacted to protect workers from extreme heat tend to focus on outdoor workplaces like farms.
Frazzini: “So we’ve been participating in advocacy at the state level around state regulation that would protect indoor workers, in addition to outdoor workers.”
And now California has released standards that require access to cool-down areas, cold water, and other protections – so indoor workers can stay safe, even as global warming causes more extreme heat.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
We help millions of people understand climate change and what to do about it. Help us reach even more people like you.