October 22, 2024
Fueling the flame: Initiative pilot grant studies health risk of increasing heat and wildfires
Agricultural communities in the western portion of the U.S. are becoming more exposed to extreme heat and wildfire smoke (WFS) as a result of climate change, adversely impacting the health of the general population and posing a greater risk to outdoor crop workers. Washington state leads the U.S. in apple, blueberry and cherry production, with an estimated 100,000 documented crop workers in 2021. While there is limited research on the impact of climate change induced heat and WFS events on U.S. fruit tree workers, a systematic review of current evidence suggests that the long-term impact of non-occupational wildfire exposure includes mental health disorders, reduced lung function, and increased mortality.
In spring 2024, a team of University of Washington researchers received a Tier 1 Population Health Initiative pilot grant to study the health, well-being and job-related exposure risk factors of Yakima (WA) fruit tree farm crop workers. The project seeks to understand how these multidimensional factors change following acute heat and WFS exposure events encountered throughout the work season.
“Tree fruit workers are especially at-risk of heat and wildfire smoke exposure, as peaks in exposure often coincide with peaks in employment and physically demanding harvest-related activities,” said John Flunker, co-principal investigator and postdoctoral scholar fellow in the UW’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences. “In addition, the remote outdoor work environment experienced by tree-fruit workers makes it virtually impossible to eliminate extreme heat and wildfire smoke. Instead, workers must rely on N95 respirators, varying work schedules, shortened work days, and frequent breaks to mitigate exposure.”
“The health effects that we will likely note from these high exposure outdoor worker groups are transferable to regional populations. Acute health effects among high exposure worker groups may be similar to those experienced by members of the community who do not have access to clean or cool air,” added Flunker.
The project involves observing and assessing acute and cumulative changes to the health, well-being and job-related factors of a cohort of crop workers following heat and WFS exposure events. The crop workers will be evaluated at multiple time points during their harvest season by an initial baseline questionnaire and self-reported measurement of respiratory- and heat-related illness symptoms, changes in work practice and behaviors during smoke events, work availability and hours worked, use of personal protective equipment and mental health.
“One aspect of the study that we were interested in focusing on was how the Washington State permanent heat and wildfire exposure rules were impacting the safety practices of the workplace and potentially worker exposures and health effects,” shared Flunker. “Considering how personal perceptions of risk and safety practices are impacted by workplace safety protocols gives us a better understanding of the risk of exposure and ultimately risk of adverse health effects.”
“There is a call to action across the country that we need regulations to protect workers from environmental exposures, and Washington is leading the forefront there and creating these heat and wildfire smoke rules,” shared Coralynn Sack, co-principal investigator and occupational medical physician and pulmonologist in the UW’s Departments of Pulmonology and Environmental & Occupational Health. “This research is particularly impactful because it shows if the legislation that does exist is effective and reduces health symptoms.”
The project’s measures of success rely on the successful completion of its aims, with an emphasis on laying a foundation for proof-of-concept that can be communicated to key stakeholders and encourage greater interest in related research.
Flunker and Sack’s research team hopes to utilize the measures from their study to move into the proof-of-concept phase and gather additional funding from national institutions like Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. These funds would help expand research to other regions of Washington state and the U.S., creating a more comprehensive understanding of the impact that climate change related events have on the general population.
“The plan has always been to expand to other counties in Washington and also potentially to other areas throughout the United States so that we can really begin to get a holistic understanding of how these singular and co-exposure events are impacting workers and the communities in which they reside,” said Flunker. “Our research relies on critical partnerships with growers, workers, and community members to generate practical and impactful research. Ultimately, our goal is to help workers and their communities to live healthier, happier lives.”