Every day, Raquel Atlahua begins her work as a roofer bracing for the blistering sun.
On the roof, there is no escape from the direct light and heat, and the temperatures in Florida quickly climb as the day progresses. The high humidity and lack of shade make it feel even hotter, and even more difficult to cool down.
She and her co-workers get going at 7am, sometimes earlier. They hope the early start means they can get as much work done before temperatures peak in the afternoon – before constant physical exertion, heat and humidity make them feel drained. They battle the climate while rushing to finish a job where the pay is based on the work they complete, rather than by an hourly or daily rate.
“Sometimes we see that the thermometer is 95 degrees, but really when you’re up roofing, it feels like 120 degrees, so there’s a big difference from what people see to what we’re feeling up there,” Atlahua said.
Employers often don’t provide workers water even though they are supposed to, so she and her co-workers make sure they have plenty. She adds lemon, sugar and salt to her water to keep up her electrolytes, as she is constantly sweating. She has learned to avoid drinks like soda to keep up her hydration and eats as healthy as she can; she often sees co-workers struggle with the fatigue of being exposed to intense heat. Fatigue, dizziness, headaches and soreness are constant issues.
Atlahua has worked outdoors for 20 years in central Florida. She began as a roofer in 2004, then became a farm worker in 2009 when the economic recession slowed down roofing work, before returning to roofing in 2015.
Atlahua said she has noticed a significant increase in the intensity and number of hot days she experiences since she began two decades ago.
“One of the things I remember in 2004 when I started was that intense heat days would start around May. Now those heatwaves are felt as early as January,” said Atlahua.
Atlahua’s experiences, about the weather in Florida getting hotter, are backed by data and climate science research. A 2024 study conducted by Payless Power utilizing data from the World Weather Online API found Florida is now the hottest state in the US, with an average temperature of 74.1F (23.4C) over the past 15 years. Unusually hot conditions in Florida have been made five times more likely due to the climate crisis.
Globally, 2024 is on track to become the hottest year on record, which is currently held by 2023.
There are an estimated 2 million outdoor workers in Florida. But despite warming trends, workers here and throughout the US currently have no heat protections on the job. Earlier this year, Republicans in Florida passed a law banning cities and counties from enacting heat protections for workers, amid industry pressure. The Biden administration has proposed a federal rule to provide heat protections for workers, but it could be several more years until it is approved and enacted.
Atlahua explained employers provide no heat protections or resources to her and her co-workers who are directly exposed to the sun on the roofs of houses and buildings. Instead, she and her co-workers are left to try to take care and support themselves.
“They don’t give anything to the workers,” Atlahua noted in reference to whether employers provide any water, training or support for workers around the heat.
As roofers, she and her co-workers aren’t provided any shade, either. If they have to use the bathroom, they are forced to drive to the nearest gas station to use one there and rely on the air conditioning in the gas station and their vehicles to cool down on breaks.
Atlahua argued that she would like to see improvements in education for workers on how to protect themselves from the heat, and for more patience and support from employers, who often won’t allow workers to work too early or too late in the day when the temperatures and sun exposure aren’t as hot.
She also noted due to the nature of the work, with contractors often utilizing subcontractors who have their own employees, that the lack of education and protections around heat get dismissed and the onus is put on workers to try to protect themselves the best they can.
Though employers are supposed to provide clean, drinkable water for free to workers under Osha’s general duty clause, employers will come up with excuses against doing so. “It’s because of the laws in Florida and the message Florida sends to employers. Employers also give the excuse that they are liable if they give us water and we get sick,” she added.
She also has a message for the owners whose homes and buildings she’s repairing: “Owners should think more about the workers and let us sit down and rest when needed. I often see co-workers suffering muscle issues, constantly drinking water, and how much it affects them and how hard it is for them to work in the heat.”
This is the first of three stories about the US workers who are struggling to survive a summer of extreme heat that shattered records from coast to coast. Read part two here. Part three coming soon.
