Can’t stand the heat? Get out of the kitchen! The impact of extreme weather events on food service workers in British Columbia
“Workers expressed concern over inadequate infrastructure, such as no cooling systems during high temperatures, no heating systems for cold temperatures, no provision of personal protective equipment, and minimal ventilation systems” (p. 13).
This 2023 report describes the impacts of extreme weather events on 31 food service workers across British Columbia. The report is published by the Worker Solidarity Network, comprising non-unionized and precarious workers advocating for their rights and collectively striving to improve labour standards for all.
Data were collected using an intersectional and community-engaged approach involving a survey, focus groups and a series of one-on-one interviews. Those interviewed included baristas, cooks, servers, dishwashers, hosts, and individuals in fast-food drive-through positions.
Importantly, this report amplifies the voices of workers in precarious employment, an essential aspect of equity-informed public health action. The report is unique in that it is situated at the nexus of two major determinants of health in Canada: climate change and precarious employment.
The report describes various facets of precarious employment among food service workers in British Columbia. Evidence presented in this report shows that working and employment conditions are worsened by extreme weather events, such as flooding, heatwaves and smoke, leading to:
- lack of protective health and safety measures
- lack of enforced breaks
- detriments to physical and mental health (e.g., fainting on shift, heatstroke)
- inability to refuse unsafe work
As the authors describe, employment law was not written to anticipate a rise in extreme environmental conditions and disasters. They provide a list of key policy recommendations to ensure the health protection of workers during extreme weather events, including:
- maximum temperature policy
- climate paid leave
- additional breaks
- free and reliable public transportation
The findings in this report support urgent public health action to address health impacts of working and employment conditions during extreme weather events. Public health organizations and practitioners can use the findings to identify gaps, set priorities and make decisions on public health action to address impacts of climate change and precarious employment.
Use this resource to
- Increase awareness about how climate change adversely affects working and employment conditions
- Guide action on climate change adaptation strategies that tackle the health impacts of precarious employment and extreme weather events
- Advocate for robust employment laws and regulations that address extreme weather events
Alignment with NCCDH work
Understanding how to address the health equity impacts of climate change, as well as precarious employment, strongly aligns with other NCCDH initiatives.
In 2021, the NCCDH developed two practice briefs emphasizing the urgent need for equity-focused public health action to address climate change:
Climate change resilience part 2: Public health roles and actions
In 2022, the NCCDH published Determining Health: Decent work issue brief. This document explores decent work as a determinant of health, illustrating the health impacts of employment and working conditions on workers and communities in Canada.
See other resources related to decent work and health equity.
Reference
Worker Solidarity Network. (2023). Can’t stand the heat? Get out of the kitchen! The impact of extreme weather events on food service workers in British Columbia. https://workersolidarity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Climate-and-Labour-Report-WSN-2023.pdf
Tags: Working conditions, Climate change, Community Organization, Document, Report / Document