California members of Congress reintroduce worker, heat protection bill

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A federal heat illness, injury, and fatality prevention act is being reintroduced on Capitol Hill. Members of Congress introduced this bill back in 2023.

The bill’s formal name is the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. In 2004, Valdivia, who was a farmworker, died in Kern County.

“Valdivia was at work picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105 degrees,” said California Representative Judy Chu. He fell over unconscious. “Instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told his son to drive Mr. Valdivia home. On the way home. His son watched his father foam at the mouth and die of a heat stroke at the age of 53.” 

While California has strong protections in place for workers, that’s not the case for other states. In the span of 25 years, more than 800 workers in the U.S. died from heat-stress injuries. Last year was the hottest on record.

“As the planet continues to grow hotter, it’s unconscionable that in the year 2025, we do not have a federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers,” California Senator Alex Padilla said. 

On Thursday, Padilla, Chu and union workers reintroduced legislation to protect workers in extreme heat conditions nationwide. This protects both workers indoors and outside.

“It’s also dangerous for those who work indoors, in factories and kitchens,” Padilla said.

Padilla announced that the proposed bill has bipartisan support from the House, but they need the Senate, especially Republican constituents, to get on board.

In Firebaugh, Joe Del Bosque of Del Bosque Farms has firsthand experience dealing with these extreme conditions. At one point in time, he, too, was working out in the fields. Now, he manages about 120 workers at one time.

“I know how dangerous it is. It’s hot out there,” he said.

At Del Bosque Farm, each crew has their own shade trailer where they can take their lunch break to get out of the sun and keep cool. This is just one of the precautions that he takes to keep his workers safe.

“We don’t want to see anybody injured or, heaven forbid, have any deaths in agriculture,” he said.

His workers also have an endless supply of water. But Del Bosque says the most vital tool is education.

“Farmers either here in California or other states should look for training, get classes on how to have a better safety program for their people. That’s something that we’ve done,” Del Bosque said.