CHARM Roadmap: Outdoor workers

In 2022, there were 1,664 known agricultural workers in Lake County, working on 153 farms. Of these workers, 60% were migrants. Another 2,438 workers were employed in construction in Lake County the same year. There were an unknown number of other outdoor workers (landscaping, tree work, road maintenance, etc.)

Vulnerability to climate-driven events

The majority of outdoor workers are employed in a industries with regulations and systems in place to protect workers in times of extreme heat or very poor air quality. However, research has shown that these regulations may not be followed and that the risk of health impacts can be very high for these workers during climate events.

• Extreme heat- Outdoor workers face high risks of heat illness due to physical exertion, limited shade or water, and pay structures that discourage breaks (e.g., piece-rate pay). Heavy gear can impair cooling, and language barriers may prevent some from receiving safety information or reporting symptoms.
• Wildfire and smoke- Wildfire smoke worsens respiratory and heart conditions. Workers may be exposed even when air quality is hazardous, and many lack access to respirators or reduced workloads. Firefighters and utility crews face combined risks from fire, smoke, and heat.
• Harmful algal blooms (HABs)- Workers in fishing, recreation, or agriculture may inhale or come into contact with HAB toxins, which can irritate the skin, lungs, and worsen asthma. Some may be exposed through contaminated irrigation water with limited guidance on safe practices.
• Flooding and storms- Floods expose workers to contaminated water, electrocution, and injuries from debris. Stormwater may carry sewage or chemicals, and cleanup often occurs without adequate protective gear or training.
• Cross-cutting vulnerabilities- Many outdoor workers lack legal protections, healthcare access, or adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). Language barriers and substandard housing increase risk, particularly during emergency situations. Migrant workers are at particular risk if they are undocumented and/or feel pressured to continue working in poor conditions in order to be paid, care for their families, and avoid deportation.

Who works with this community

In Lake County, California, a range of organizations support outdoor workers—including those in agriculture, construction, landscaping, and wildfire response—by providing health care, legal aid, education, labor protections, and family services. California Human Development (CHD) offers job training, housing support, and immigration legal services to farmworkers and low-income laborers. The Lake County Office of Education Immigration Resources supports children and families of migrant laborers. Legal Aid and Cal/OSHA offer protections against wage theft, unsafe conditions, and heat illness. La Voz de la Esperanza Wellness Center provides culturally relevant peer support and mental health services, especially for the Latino community.

Selected survey findings

21% of survey respondents had a job where they worked mainly outside.

• Job types among outdoor workers were diverse:

  • Most commonly reported were landscaping (11 workers), agriculture (10), and nursery work (1). Others included construction (6), parks and recreation (5), and forestry or transportation/warehousing (3 each).

Extreme heat

• Of survey respondents with an outdoor job:

  • 79% said they had worked during a very hot day, while 15% said they had not.
  • 69% said they had experienced a health concern while working.
  • 75% reported receiving training about heat safety, while 23% had not.
  • 52% felt they fully knew their workplace rights related to heat protection.

• Barriers to taking breaks included:

  • Fear of getting in trouble or being fired
  • Not wanting to lose income (piecework)
  • Seeing no one else take breaks

HABs

• Of respondents with an outdoor job, 40% (19 of 48) reported noticing or smelling a cyanotoxin/harmful algal bloom while working near Clear Lake or tributaries.

Community voices

"Farm labor contractors come as far as, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento, and they bus in their workers...Sometimes they put them at campsites, in the vineyards and around the lake...It is a very mobile workforce, that then farm labor contracts, many are Latino... and then to contact those is a challenge...[and] the working conditions of the farmworker group during extreme heat is a big problem."

"Even simple things like they put the water container on the other side of the field, where if they're paying the workers by piecemeal on the number of grapevines they're suckering, [in the heat] the farmworkers aren't going to waste all that time to go and get the water."

"Many of the areas where our farmworkers live do not have access to the internet. And very poor quality service."

[On equipment that helps]: "Safari hats with the shield on the back or the cover that covers your back. We used to give out a lot of like, things like that, and then the wet cooling cloths, and sunblock...little water jugs, because as they're working, they can carry it along with them."

Strengthen workplace protections and policies

• Advocate for enforcement of Cal/OSHA heat and wildfire smoke standards for outdoor workplaces (e.g., shade, water, rest breaks, N95s, air quality monitoring).
• Encourage employers to adopt climate-responsive work schedules, such as shifting tasks to cooler or cleaner-air hours.
• Promote paid sick leave and rest policies during dangerous conditions to prevent health risks.
  

Expand education and outreach

• Provide multilingual, culturally appropriate training on recognizing heat illness and smoke exposure symptoms, and on emergency procedures.
• Partner with growers' associations, worker advocacy groups, and other trusted messengers such as churches to host workshops or field trainings.
  

Improve access to protective resources

• Distribute cooling gear (hats, vests), clean masks (N95s), electrolyte packs, and mobile shade structures to outdoor work crews.
• Support the installation and maintenance of rest and recovery stations with water, shade, first aid, and air-filtered spaces (if possible) near outdoor work sites or fields.
• Support community or employer-managed equipment stockpiles for use during emergencies.

Build early warning and communication systems

• Develop or enhance real-time alert systems (texts, WhatsApp, radio) for heat waves, air quality, and wildfire threats in multiple languages.
• Coordinate with growers, Tribal lands managers, and labor groups to ensure that they receive alerts and that alerts reach workers on the job, in the field, or on the move.
• Share clear guidance on when to stop work based on AQI, temperature, or fire danger.
  

Support worker health and access to care

• Expand access to mobile clinics or pop-up health services during extreme weather periods.
• Train clinics and community health workers to identify heat- and smoke-related illnesses in outdoor laborers.
• Offer occupational health screenings and help workers enroll in insurance or safety net programs.
  

Foster employer and community partnerships

• Create employer toolkits and offer technical assistance to employers for climate resilience planning (e.g., checklists, sample protocols, supply lists). Support employers to develop emergency response and evacuation plans.
• Recognize or incentivize employers who invest in worker safety during climate events. Share best practices.
• Involve workers and labor groups in county and Tribal emergency planning to reflect real on-the-ground needs.
  

Address transportation and housing vulnerabilities

• Ensure transportation options during evacuations or extreme events for workers that commute to remote areas. Identify high risk areas.
• Improve access to resilience centers for workers living in substandard or non-climate-controlled housing.
• Support and partner with local housing programs that offer safe, affordable options for seasonal or migrant workers.

>> Tribal communities

<< People experiencing homelessness