The National COSH Network provides workers and worker-based organizations with tools, resources and support to assert their right to earn their living without fear of life-threatening harm from hazardous conditions caused by climate change. We insist that workers and communities be at the table to develop policies that prioritize health, well-being, and racial and economic justice.
On June 26, 2021 Sebastian Francisco Perez collapsed and died after moving irrigation lines on an Oregon farm and nursery in 104 degree heat. Mr. Perez is one of more than 800 U.S. workers killed in the last two decades by employers who failed to provide simple protections like rest, shade, and water. Workers like Sebastian, most often those who are Black and Brown, are the first to feel the impact of extreme heat and other effects of human-induced climate change.
Get Involved
National COSH and Public Citizen invite you to join us and raise your voice for Heat Stress Action Week. Fill out the form on our WorkedUp campaign page to tell your representatives you want action to protect workers from heat illness on the job. Feel free to check the information below for more information about how workers can fight for protection from heat illness and injury at work.
SUMMER 2023 - EXTREME HEAT ADVISORY FOR MUCH OF THE US
This fact sheet was created in response to workers' need for quick basic information about the dangers caused by excessive heat on the job. It lists workers' rights, danger symptoms of heat illness and steps to demand from employers to protect workers on the job.
Protecting Workers from Wildfire Smoke Exposure
Increasing incidents of wildfires show the need for urgent action to protect workers from the ongoing effects of climate change. This fact sheet provides workers with information about the dangers of wildfire smoke and steps they can take to urge their employer to reduce their risk.
Fact Sheet and Poster
Click on the images to enlarge or download
Amharic | አማርኛ
Arabic | عَرَبِيّ
Bengali | বাংলা
Burmese | မြန်မာဘာသာ
Chinese | 官话
Dari | فارسی
Farsi | فارسی
French | français
Karen | ကညီကျိာ်
Karenni | ꤊꤢ꤬ꤛꤢ꤭ꤜꤟꤤ
Kinyarwanda | Ikinyarwanda
Nepali | नेपाली
Spanish | Español
Somali | Soomaali
Swahili | Kiswahili
Tigrinya | ትግርኛ
Vietnamese | việt
National COSH webinar Organizing for Heat Safety in the Workplace
Slides available here
2022-05 Heat Campaign
Social Media Slides: Know Your Rights / Demand Heat Protections at Work (Bilingual):
Extreme heat is extremely dangerous for both indoor and outdoor workers -- and more common than ever as temperatures rise due to climate change. Check out our bilingual slide show, with the facts you need to demand protection from heat stress.
Social Media Slides: Steps for Taking Action in the Workplace
Ready to fight back against extreme heat on the job? Support from National COSH: “9 STEPS WE CAN TAKE TO DEMAND PROTECTION FROM HEAT ILLNESSES AT WORK.”
Social Media Slides: Heat Illness at Work
These slides are also available in multiple languages thanks to the efforts of Western New York COSH. The languages include:
Amharic | አማርኛ Arabic | عَرَبِيّ Bengali | বাংলা Burmese | မြန်မာဘာသာ Chinese | 官话 Dari | فارسی Farsi | فارسی French | français Karen | ကညီကျိာ် Karenni | ꤊꤢ꤬ꤛꤢ꤭ꤜꤟꤤ Kinyarwanda | Ikinyarwanda Nepali | नेपाली Somali | Soomaali Swahili | Kiswahili Tigrinya | ትግርኛ Vietnamese | việt
- 2020 Heat Fatality list compiled by National COSH
- Download the OSHA-NIOSH heat safety tool in the app store