Gustine, Merced County, California: Cal/OSHA has launched a sweeping, unprecedented investigation of California’s dairy industry after a spate of immigrant worker deaths. The San Francisco Chronicle carried an LA Times column by Lee Romney, Deaths of 3 immigrant workers dog state’s dairy industry, revealing worker deaths by passing out and drowning in enclosed pools of putrefacted liquid manure waste.
The circumstances of death are almost too horrible to describe. There was no explanation of what possible incentive workers might have to enter the stinking pump pits. Farmers were warned against “complacency”.
The article concludes with an inappropriately cutesy official pronouncement by Bill Krycia, Cal/OSHA’s agricultural enforcement coordinator. It is almost certain to warrant closer public scrutiny:
“California is now the No. 1 dairy state. We’re all very proud of them. They have happy cows,” Krycia said, referring to a dairy marketing campaign. “Now we want safe and healthy workers.”
Once we have happy cows, then we can have healthy workers?
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