Outdoor workers make up 1/5 of the U.S. workforce, and the majority of them live in counties with the highest frequency of unhealthy air quality days. Compared to indoor workers, they are also more likely to have higher rates of uninsurance, lower access to paid sick leave, and higher rates of injuries.
As extreme heat becomes common, twenty percent of the workforce is unprotected. This vulnerable workforce needs greater protections and higher workplace safety standards.
Research finds that stronger state and federal worker protection policies should account for where outdoor work is most common, where climate hazards are most concentrated, and which workers lack insurance, paid sick leave, and other safeguards needed to avoid preventable illness and injury.
Strengthen safety standards, protections, and paid-leave access for the outdoor workforce.
Topic: Climate Change and Extreme Weather