Opportunity for reasonable use through notification of each employee by the employer of the location of the water and the facilities and the allowance of reasonable opportunities during the workday to use them. The employer also must inform the employee of the relevant health hazards in the field and the practices necessary to minimize exposure to them. An expected reduction because of the new standard in the number of workers who become ill from intestinal, urinary, heat, skin, and agrichemical-related illnesses by about 179,000 cases. The new federal standard and state standards already in place are expected to reduce the total number or workers who could have been expected to become ill from 270,134 to 91,482 cases, a reduction of two-thirds. Department figures show three of every 1,000 farm workers will suffer from heatstroke during their working lives.
Farm workers suffer a risk of heat-related injuries that is the highest rate for any occupation.
The new standard plus state standards are expected to reduce heat-related injuries among those covered by more than 90 percent. Fewer urinary tract infections, most common among female workers, arising from urine retention and the use of unsanitary materials for personal hygiene in the field. The new standard plus state standards are expected to reduce these from 18,436 to 2,765 cases. This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.