Labor Agency and Migrant Education Program Partner to Prevent Heat Illness in Agricultural Industry

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/labor-agency-migrant-education-program/story.aspx?guid={C30FB82A-DAA0-4C19-9756-D4BEE0039695}&dist=hppr

Last update: 1:30 p.m. EDT July 17, 2008
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jul 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) Secretary Victoria Bradshaw and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced a partnership that will bring heat illness prevention information to California's migrant education community.

"California's ground-breaking heat illness prevention regulations have helped reduce the number of heat illnesses since 2005," Bradshaw said. "This collaboration will put potentially life-saving information into the hands of migrant students and their parents to help keep them safe in the fields."

"We are here today as part of a joint effort to raise awareness in the migrant farm worker community about the dangers of heat illness and the steps that can be taken to prevent it," O'Connell said. "The California Department of Education is dedicated to sharing information with migrant families through our migrant education program, parent advisory councils and summer school programs. No job is worth ill health or worse, a life. It's important workers are aware of the danger signs so they know when to seek relief."

Under the partnership, LWDA's Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, will work with migrant education teachers and administrators throughout the state to educate students and their families about heat stress and their rights.

Heat illness prevention materials in multiple languages will be distributed widely within the migrant education community, and various presentations by Cal/OSHA's consultation staff will be made throughout the 23 regions of the state's migrant education program. Cal/OSHA consultants will also make presentations at the March 2009 migrant education state parent conference.

FULL story at link.