Too Hot to Work: The Battle To Set U.S. Heat Safety Standards

TIME partners with Georgia Public Radio and Mercer University to report on the conditions of America's largely migrant agricultural labor force in southern Georgia as they harvest vital crops at the peak of a hot, humid summer. High heat exposure, combined with a lack of water, rest, and shade, can lead to poor health outcomes and even death. Yet there is no federal safety standard to protect outdoor workers. The Biden administration has called for OSHA to establish one, in a process that could take a decade or more. Meanwhile, several attorneys general have called for emergency standards to be set in place before this summer, which is expected to be hotter than ever.