Florida contractor cited following heat-related death of farmworker

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday that it cited a Florida contractor following the September 2023 heat-related death of a sugar cane farm worker.

OSHA cited Belle Glade-based McNeill Labor Management Inc. for one “serious” violation for exposing workers to hazards associated with high ambient heat while working under direct sunlight and proposed $27,655 in penalties.

The company has contested the citation and proposed penalties before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The worker, who came to Florida from Mexico to work at the farm, died on his first day on the job, OSHA said. The man suffered fatal heat-related injuries while working in an open field as the heat index reached 97 degrees.

OSHA said McNeil could have prevented the death by implementing safety rules designed to protect workers from heat-related hazards, including a plan to help workers acclimate to weather conditions.

The worker, who was sitting atop stacks of sugar cane on a trailer as he tossed them to the ground for planting, collapsed shortly after complaining about the effects of heat, OSHA said.

An investigation found that McNeil also failed to report the worker’s hospitalization and death, a legal requirement.

In related news, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed into law a measure that prevents local governments from requiring employers to institute heat-related workplace safety measures.