美国国家公共电台 NPR--Advocates say rules protecting outdoor workers from heat aren't being enforced

Advocates say rules protecting outdoor workers from heat aren't being enforced

Transcript¹

Washington state implemented² new rules to keep farm workers safer when temperatures rise. But some of those workers say the state agency charged with enforcement is too sympathetic to industry.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Record heat seared the Western U.S. this summer. Washington state has rules in place trying to keep outdoor workers safe in such extreme heat. But some employees don't believe that these state rules make a difference. Eilis O'Neill of member station KUOW reports from the Yakima Valley.

EILIS O'NEILL, BYLINE³: With climate change, central Washington is in for hotter summers on average and more frequent heat waves. Lucia Chavez has been a farm worker here for more than 40 years. She says working outside in the heat can be brutal⁴.

LUCIA CHAVEZ: (Speaking Spanish).

O'NEILL: Chavez says she gets headaches. She gets tired just walking. Her heart races. She's seen her co-workers faint.

CHAVEZ: (Speaking Spanish).

O'NEILL: Last year, one farm worker in Washington and one farm worker in Oregon died of heat-related causes. Washington's new heat rules kick in at 89 degrees and require shade, cool water and sufficient rest. Chavez says she's worked at places that don't follow those rules, but she's never reported anything to the state.

CHAVEZ: (Speaking Spanish).

O'NEILL: She says the state agency tasked with keeping workers safe doesn't do anything. So many workers leave it there. They just keep quiet.

EDGAR FRANKS: There's no real big punishment. So workers are like, well, that didn't work, so...

O'NEILL: Edgar Franks is a farm worker organizer in Washington. Public records show that Washington state received about 50 complaints and referrals for violations⁵ of the state's heat rules over the past two summers. Compare that to Oregon, which received more than 250 heat-related complaints this year alone. Franks says the reason for that big difference is what Washington state does when it hears a complaint.

FRANKS: When they do investigations⁶ and they find company negligence⁷ or, you know, wrongdoing, they reduce fines or don't fine at all.

O'NEILL: In 2022 so far, Oregon has fined 10 employers for heat-related violations. The state says it's still investigating another 60 employers and expects many of those investigations to result in fines. Washington state, on the other hand, only documented one fine to one employer for violating the state's heat rules in all of 2021 and none so far in 2022.

TYLER CARPENTER: This is a baby hop⁸ field. There is no shade out here.

O'NEILL: Tyler Carpenter is a sixth-generation hops⁹ farmer in the Yakima Valley. He focuses on worker safety on the 2,000-acre family farm. He points to the trellises and overhead cables that hold up baby hops.

CARPENTER: Sun, wind, everything just goes right through it, and so we have to be able to get these tents out here.

O'NEILL: The tents provide shade for the workers' rest breaks. This is what it looks like when employers comply with the state's rules without any need for enforcement. Carpenter says he's never had an unannounced visit from Labor¹⁰ and Industries, or LNI.

CARPENTER: LNI used to be a lot more of a dirty word around here when my grandpa was running things.

O'NEILL: Carpenter says his view of the state agency is different.

CARPENTER: I've befriended a lot of those guys. I've brought them in for consultations¹¹ because if I can do something to make it a better place to work, then I'd rather do that.

CRAIG BLACKWOOD: We want employees to be safe.

O'NEILL: That's Craig Blackwood. He oversees¹² occupational safety and health for Washington state. He says for decades, the state worked to build trust with employers, to work with them to improve workplace safety. But now, he says, the agency is working to build trust with the people in the field.

BLACKWOOD: We have been working on the worker trust issue, especially in the agricultural space, 'cause there's definitely a mistrust of LNI.

O'NEILL: Blackwood says the agency follows up with workers after every complaint, and it's hiring more bilingual staff to try to proactively reach out to farm workers and let them know they can file complaints anonymously¹³; their employer won't find out.

For NPR News, I'm Eilis O'Neill in the Yakima Valley.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

5 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

7 negligence   

n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意

参考例句：

• They charged him with negligence of duty.他们指责他玩忽职守。
• The traffic accident was allegedly due to negligence.这次车祸据说是由于疏忽造成的。

8 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

9 hops   

跳上[下]( hop的第三人称单数 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• The sparrow crossed the lawn in a series of hops. 那麻雀一蹦一跳地穿过草坪。
• It is brewed from malt and hops. 它用麦精和蛇麻草酿成。

10 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

11 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

13 anonymously   

ad.用匿名的方式

参考例句：

• The manuscripts were submitted anonymously. 原稿是匿名送交的。
• Methods A self-administered questionnaire was used to survey 536 teachers anonymously. 方法采用自编“中小学教师职业压力问卷”对536名中小学教师进行无记名调查。