Climate Change and Workplace Safety : Daniel Rivera’s automobile provided shade in San Bernardino, California. He used the air conditioner while it was below 100 degrees. He improved after working hard at the Amazon air hub. Moving big boxes in the sun took 10 hours.
Last week had awful weather. Climate change produced fires and heat waves. It broke global records. Rivera was still determining if he could survive another summer at the warehouse after three.
1.8 million Americans work in hot, humid settings. Big boxes might overheat when lifted. Building air conditioning doesn’t work in the heat. It’s dangerous.
Rivera’s bosses’ safety lecture gave me hope from February. He advised them to obey the 2016 California laws on building heating. Rulemaking takes time. Seven years. California has had record-breaking summers.
Rivera’s issue is bigger. Significant metal-framed buildings are everywhere. Offices shrink. These towers have many workplaces. Online shopping and speedy shipping are building stores. This is especially true in the nation’s busiest places.
COVID-19 worsened. Businesses struggled to sell because lockdowns increased demand. US corporations adjusted tactics and centers to compete.
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Climate control systems face a growing planet. New items are causing warehouses trouble. These places must maintain temperatures since perishable items are more popular. This ignores workers’ health and happiness, especially those with challenging employment.
Amazon’s air hub was 89 degrees last summer, while San Bernardino was 112. The significant difference worries me about how growth firms handle their staff.
Warehouse employees have other issues. The study reveals greater temperatures cause more accidents and less work. It’s time-consuming. Working hard brings these benefits.
Despite Washington’s heat safety precautions and Democrats’ efforts to make workplaces safer, these laws and rules continually evolve. UPS workers want air conditioning in their trucks, giving us hope. The 2024 presidential election may slow climate change despite its worsening.
As our society balances factory growth and workers’ rights, we see that environmental and workers’ rights legislation affects the health and happiness of workers in these massive warehouses. Managing temperature, breaks, and personnel requires imaginative solutions.
As these enormous buildings’ workdays conclude, we worry if the government will address workers’ heat problems or disregard them, which is bad for business.