Research is questioning the ability of California’s Sonoma County to allow its workers to continue to work in its wine and agricultural industries in evacuated areas during disasters such as wildfires at great risk to their personal health.
Many farm workers in Sonoma County face pressures to work during active wildfire conditions and have suffered adverse health effects, according to a UC Berkeley study published in the Journal of Agromedicine on Oct. 20.
Hundreds of workers, most of whom lack health insurance, told researchers in a survey that they didn’t have a choice because they feared being fired if they didn’t work and that they needed money to cover basic needs such as housing and groceries. More than one-third of workers said their employers did not provide them with personal protective equipment, such as N95 respirators, during the hazardous conditions…