KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Heat Could Be To Blame In Two Farmworker Deaths

Heat Could Be To Blame In Two Farmworker Deaths

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The scorching valley heat could be to blame for the deaths of two farm workers.

Authorities are looking into the death of a 42-year-old Delano farm worker who died on Wednesday, possibly of heat stroke.

The other farm worker died last month while harvesting butternut squash in triple-digit heat. He was 64.

To avoid further fatalities, state officials are doing their part to educate farm labor contractors of the dangers triple digit temperatures can pose on those who work outside.

Officials are teaming up with local ag-organizations to sponsor a series of seminars for the farm labor contractors. The workshops focus on the importance of providing adequate conditions for farmworkers, including proper shade, scheduled breaks, and plenty of drinking water.

"All the employers who are out there in the fields... the farm labor contractors... you need to pay attention to these fundamental conditions," said Department of Industrial Relations, John Duncan.

"It's our hope that by educating farm labor contractors we can improve conditions for farm workers and we can reduce instances where the kind of things happen that have happened in the past,"Bryan Little, from the California Farm Bureau.

Cal-Osha is still investigating the death of a pregnant, 17-year-old farmworker from the north valley who died back in May.

In 2005, 12 workers died of heat-related illness in California prompting the state to develop safety and health regulations to address the issue.

You can find heat safety tips on KMPH.com's Beat the Heat page.