UNWORKABLE
Dangerous Heat Puts Florida Workers at Risk
Introduction
Due to greenhouse gas pollution, temperatures have been rising rapidly in recent decades. One important and often overlooked effect of rising global temperatures is that heat-related injuries and illnesses are increasing as well. Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the U.S. government has been working aggressively to intensify rather than mitigate the problem of heat stress by accelerating the burning of fossil fuels. It is therefore critical that other jurisdictions both work to mitigate climate change and begin protecting the populations that are most vulnerable to its harms. This report discusses the problem of heat stress generally, then focuses on Florida outdoor workers, showing that they work in dangerous heat conditions a high proportion of the time and their health is suffering as a result.