HOMESTEAD, Fla. — In the nearly two decades she has worked in South Florida’s plant nurseries, baking under greenhouse plastic covers, Sandra Ascencio has seen more than her share of misery.
Washington Post: As temperatures rise, industries fight heat safeguards for workers
In 2008, Ascencio collapsed while working at a different nursery. She said she suffered heatstroke, lost consciousness and spent a week in the hospital.
Today, she belongs to a growing group of immigrant laborers in South Florida pushing for what many health experts say is the best way to prevent heatstroke as temperatures reach new extremes: a law requiring employers to provide outdoor workers with drinking water, shade and rest breaks on hot days.