A Complaint to Cal/OSHA Enforcement against Discroll's Farms and NorCal Harvesting

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(video source: CBS SF Bay Area)

A complaint was filed with Cal/OSHA on behalf of an anonymous worker about unsafe working conditions at their employment. The complaint is directed at Driscoll’s Farms and NorCal Harvesting (a contractor with Driscoll’s).

The complaint focuses on three main issues;

  1. Wildfire Smoke
    The AQI has been well above 151 this past week with smokey skies from the nearby wildfires. The contractor and work site have not taken steps to protect their workers from harmful exposure to unhealthy air due to wildfire smoke. Since the employers cannot move operations indoors where air is adequately filtered and they do not have access to respiratory protection, they need to halt operations until the outdoor air quality improves. Smoke from wildfires contains chemicals, gases and fine particles that can harm health. The greatest hazard comes from breathing fine particles in the air (called PM2.5), which can reduce lung function, worsen asthma or other existing heart and lung conditions, and cause coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. These types of respiratory conditions also make the effects of COVID-19 more severe. Proper respiratory protection equipment needs to be provided immediately before they can return to work.

  2. Covid-19 Exposure
    Proper protection and social distancing guidelines have not been adhered to reflect the requirements announced by Governor Newsom on July 24, 2020. Many workers have tested positive or have not been tested at all while they continue to work alongside their fellow employees creating a great health risk. This is a danger to the workers and the community.

  3. Hot Weather
    OSHA does not have a specific standard that covers working in hot environments. Nonetheless, under the OSH Act, employers have a duty to protect workers from recognized serious hazards in the workplace, including heat-related hazards. With the restriction of breathing, the Covid-19 risks and weakening of their overall health combined with mental stress the employers have been placed in a dangerous work environment.

    Agricultural workers are at the highest risk of heat-related illness when the heat index is high and with the combination of all these dangerous factors it creates an egregiously unsafe environment.

What you can do

Please write, call, and contact them on social media and demand they take action to improve these conditions for farmworkers.

  • Driscoll’s
    345 Westridge Dr, Watsonville, CA 95076
    (831) 763-5100
    (831) 424-0506
    (800) 871-3333
    driscolls.berries@driscolls.com
    https://twitter.com/driscollsberry
    https://www.facebook.com/DriscollsBerries
    https://www.instagram.com/driscollsberry/

  • NorCal Harvesting
    27 Quail Run Circle Salinas, CA 93907
    831-443-4999