No water, no shade. Life as a roofer in the sweltering Florida heat: ‘It feels like 120F’. Workers struggle with dehydration, fatigue dizziness and headaches – but state laws have stripped their protections. Guardian Michael Sainato 1 Oct 2024 Every day, Raquel Atlahua begins her work as a roofer bracing for the blistering sun. On the roof, there is no escape from the direct light and heat, and the temperatures in Florida quickly climb as the day progresses. The high humidity and lack of shade make it feel even hotter, and even more difficult to cool down. She and her co-workers get going at 7am, sometimes earlier. They hope the early start means they can get as much work done before temperatures peak in the afternoon – before constant physical exertion, heat and humidity make them feel drained. They battle the climate while rushing to finish a job where the pay is based on the work they complete, rather than by an hourly or daily rate.“Sometimes we see that the thermometer is 95 degrees, but really when you’re up roofing, it feels like 120 degrees, so there’s a big difference from what people see to what we’re feeling up there,” Atlahua said. Employers often don’t provide workers water even though they are supposed to, so she and her co-workers make sure they have plenty. She adds lemon, sugar and salt to her water to keep up her electrolytes, as she is constantly sweating. She has learned to avoid drinks like soda to keep up her hydration and eats as healthy as she can; she often sees co-workers struggle with the fatigue of being exposed to intense heat. Fatigue, dizziness, headaches and soreness are constant issues.
Atlahua has worked outdoors for 20 years in central Florida. She began as a roofer in 2004, then became a farm worker in 2009 when the economic recession slowed down roofing work, before returning to roofing in 2015.
Atlahua said she has noticed a significant increase in the intensity and number of hot days she experiences since she began two decades ago. “One of the things I remember in 2004 when I started was that intense heat days would start around May. Now those heatwaves are felt as early as January,” said Atlahua.Atlahua’s experiences, about the weather in Florida getting hotter, are backed by data and climate science research. A 2024 study conducted by Payless Power utilizing data from the World Weather Online API found Florida is now the hottest state in the US, with an average temperature of 74.1F (23.4C) over the past 15 years. Unusually hot conditions in Florida have been made five times more likely due to the climate crisis. Globally, 2024 is on track to become the hottest year on record, which is currently held by 2023.There are an estimated 2 million outdoor workers in Florida. But despite warming trends, workers here and throughout the US currently have no heat protections on the job. Earlier this year, Republicans in Florida passed a law banning cities and counties from enacting heat protections for workers, amid industry pressure......welcome to America!......read on https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/01/florida-roofers-working-conditions-extreme-heat .....AND....... Life as a California warehouse worker: ‘Products matter more than people’
