California’s immigrant workers face safety risks in wildfire cleanup jobs
Immigrant workers hired for wildfire cleanup in Los Angeles face significant safety risks from exposure to toxic debris, ash and inadequate protective equipment.
Jeanne Kuang and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde report for CalMatters.
In short:
- Immigrant workers, including domestic laborers and day laborers, are often hired for post-fire cleanup but face hazards such as toxic ash, soot and unsafe structures.
- Advocates highlight the lack of protective equipment and training provided to workers hired informally by homeowners or unregulated contractors.
- California has enacted workplace safety regulations for wildfire conditions, but enforcement remains a challenge, especially in informal cleanup jobs.
Key quote:
“We’re also paying attention to the need for getting in front of the next phase of this incident, which is going to be contractors moving into these areas, and what we’ve seen historically, hiring day laborers to do cleanup and salvage work, and often with little to no protection.”
— Mike Wilson, senior safety engineer, Cal/OSHA
Why this matters:
Burned buildings, charred landscapes and debris left in the wake of a wildfire often contain hazardous materials like asbestos, heavy metals and toxic chemicals released during combustion. Workers can inhale these substances or absorb them through the skin, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses, cancers and other long-term health problems. Despite these dangers, safety measures are frequently overlooked or inadequately enforced. Personal protective equipment, proper ventilation and safety training are not universally provided, leaving many workers vulnerable. Migrant laborers, who often comprise a significant portion of the workforce, face additional barriers, including language barriers and lack of access to healthcare or legal protections.
Read more: Wildfires leave homes intact but tainted with lingering toxic threats
