SESSION III. Western Climate Change and Amplified AgFF Worker Health Risks
Chairs: Richard Fenske, PhD, PNASH, Univ. of Washington and Kent Pinkerton, WCAHS, Univ. of California Davis
Climate change brings with it increased risk of catastrophic wildfires, flooding, drought, and sea level rise as well as extreme heat days, which will become more frequent, resulting in increased air pollution, changes in vector-borne diseases, as well as the impact of heat itself. Climate change encompasses all aspects of agriculture from planting to harvesting, crop rotation, crop types and growing season. Near-term and long-term consequences of climate change on worker health will be explored in this session, as well as ideas for active solutions. This session will focus on the following goals: 1) examine current challenges in occupational health and safety related to extreme heat, changes in air pollution and increases in vector-borne diseases; 2) evaluate the consequences of climate projections on future occupational health hazards; outline next steps in regard to education regarding climate change in the Western United States.
Climate Impacts on Human Health and Adaptation Strategies
Heidi Roop, PhD, Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington
Heat Stress in Agricultural Workers: Traumatic Injury Risk and Future Considerations
June Spector, MD, PNASH, University of Washington
Heat Stress among California Farm Workers
Marc Schenker, MD, WCAHS, University of California Davis
Assessing Heat Effects among Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers: A Multi-State Study
Kai Zhang, PhD, South West Ag Center, Health Science Center at Houston, University of Texas
Health Hazards Associated with Drought
Jesse Bell, PhD, CS-CASH, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Panel: Air Pollution from Wildfires and its Impact on Agricultural Workers
Coralynn Sack, MD, DEOHS & Department of Medicine, University of Washington June Spector, MD, PNASH, University of Washington Roger Ottmar, PhD, USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Seattle WA Kent Pinkerton, PhD, WCAHS, University of California Davis