Join us for an in-depth discussion and skillshare on staying safe in extreme heat.
May 12th 5-7 pm CDT
Click Here to Register!
Between 2011 and 2021, The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that each year saw an average of 43 farmworkers lose their lives due to environmental heat. For farmworkers laboring in extreme heat, keeping ourselves and others safe is both a priority and a growing challenge. And without federal heat protections in place and elected officials signing laws to ban protections for workers, there is a dangerous gap when it comes to guidelines and best practices that can promote and support this safety. Building our own knowledge and awareness is necessary and urgent to prepare us to care for ourselves and our crew while working in extreme temperatures. In this Free School session, we’ll explore:
- Preventative action: what can you do to stay hydrated and safe?
- Warning signs: what should you look for and how can you identify warning signs – both for yourself and others?
- Emergency action: what steps should you take when help is needed right away?
- On-farm examples: how can the farm work environment support a culture of safety?
During this session, we will hear from the following individuals:
- Maxfield Estela is a Tucson, Arizona-based EMT. His background includes working on 911 Ambulances along the US/Mexico border, as a sawyer/EMT on wildland fire crews, and as a volunteer providing humanitarian aid in the borderlands with No Más Muertes/No More Deaths.
- Yessica Martínez is an MS student in the Environmental Health program at Colorado State University, with a concentration in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. Born and raised in Colombia and with a background in physical therapy and public health administration, Yessica currently works as an outreach core with CSU’s High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety supporting the promotion of health and safety in the workplace for agricultural workers.
- Alex Hagiepetros. After a decade working in the food service industry, Alex pivoted in their late 20’s to growing food for their community rather than preparing it in its final form for their community. A deep love of delicious food for all and a passion for teaching has led them to a leadership position working for a non-profit farm in Washington.
- Skot Colacicco is a California-based farmworker.
We will close our session with an open discussion, making space to ask questions and share your own experiences and tips for how you have kept yourself and others safe while working in extreme conditions.
Co-hosted by Not Our Farm, UW-Extension, and FairShare CSA Coalition.
Please note that Free School for Farmworkers sessions are a farmworker-only space. This session will be simultaneously interpreted into Spanish, recorded, and shared with all registrants. For farm owners and technical service providers interested in this content, a recording of the presentation/training portion of the session (excluding the open discussion) can be provided. Please email Sarah Janes Ugoretz with questions (sarah.janesugoretz@wisc.edu).
*We define a farmworker as someone working on a farm they do not own, for or without pay, including interns, apprentices, and aspiring farmworkers. If you have questions about whether you are eligible to participate, please contact Anita Adalja at anita@notourfarm.org
