Farm workers left without masks despite wildfire safety laws
California farm workers continued laboring in wildfire smoke last month without masks, despite state laws requiring employers to provide them when air quality reaches hazardous levels.
Gaya Gupta and Angie Orellana Hernandez report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- California law mandates employers provide masks to outdoor workers when air quality is unhealthy, but many farm workers reported not receiving them during the Hughes Fire.
- Advocates distributed thousands of masks to workers, citing a lack of enforcement and awareness about legal protections.
- Farm workers, who depend on daily wages, often face a choice between financial survival and serious health risks from wildfire smoke exposure.
Key quote:
“California is at the forefront of expanding protection to all workers, especially low-wage, marginalized workers [in the face of extreme weather]. However, the state lacks the infrastructure to enforce and monitor all the fields where people are working.”
— Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, a lecturer on labor studies at the University of California, Los Angeles
Why this matters:
Wildfire smoke contains fine particles that can cause long-term respiratory damage, yet enforcement of workplace safety laws remains weak. With climate change driving more extreme fires, protecting outdoor workers is increasingly urgent. Many farm workers, already vulnerable due to low wages and job insecurity, lack the resources to advocate for their health and safety.
Related EHN coverage: LISTEN: Carlos Gould on wildfire smoke and our health
