Training aims at preventing heat illness in farmworkers
By Anna Genasci Farm Bureau members from across the country gathered in Anaheim earlier this year for the American Farm Bureau Fed- eration Convention and rolled up their sleeves for a service project with a purpose: Assembling heat illness prevention kits for California farmworkers.
the signs and symptoms of heat illness, using available shade and knowing how to respond when a coworker shows signs of heat-related illness. The partnership brought together or- ganizations serving California agriculture from different perspectives. CFF works to
create opportunities for farm- workers to develop personal and professional skills, while FELS has partnered with Cal- ifornia farm employers on workplace compliance and human resources manage- ment since 1970. What began as a hands-on service project among Farm Bureau members became a practical resource for the peo- ple working in California ag- riculture. By pairing the heat illness prevention kits with face-to-face training, FELS
The kits, filled with prac- tical items that included sun hats, reusable water bottles, cooling towels and other heat-safety resources, were designed to help workers stay safe during California’s hot agricultural season. Those kits made their way into the hands of farmwork- ers in the Central Valley last week. The California Farm Bureau-affiliated Farm Em- ployers Labor Service, or FELS, in partnership with the
Sergio Parra, labor management consultant for Farm Employers Labor Service, or FELS, distributes heat illness prevention kits to Central Valley farmworkers.
The training reinforced important practices for preventing heat illness in the field.
and CFF were able to turn that effort into an opportunity for education, outreach and worker safety in the field. Anna Genasci is general manager of the California Farm Bureau-affiliated Farm Employers Labor Service. She can be reached at agenasci@cfbf.com.
California Farmworker Foundation, met directly with farmworkers to distribute the bags and conduct a tailgate training focused on heat illness prevention. The training reinforced important prac- tices for preventing heat illness in the field, including staying hydrated, recognizing
In addition to passing out the kits, Parra speaks to farmworkers about how to prevent heat illness in the field as part of the face-to-face training.
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