Heat claims lives of workers in triple-digit temperatures; calls for change intensify.

death – Obituary News : Gabriel Infante, a 24-year-old man from San Antonio, Texas, tragically died from heat exhaustion after working in extreme temperatures while installing fiber optic cables. According to his mother, Velma Infante, Gabriel had been working for just five days when the incident occurred. On that fateful day, Gabriel experienced delirium and paranoia, claiming that his coworkers were trying to kill him. He then fell and hit his head. Despite showing signs of a heat stroke, the site supervisor insisted that Gabriel be drug tested. It was only after emergency medical technicians arrived that it was determined Gabriel was suffering from heat exhaustion. He was rushed to the hospital but died early the next morning.

The initial autopsy report conducted by the Bexar County medical examiner revealed that Gabriel’s body temperature was nearly 110 degrees by the time he reached the emergency room. His mother described the devastating news she received, stating, “Basically, they told me his organs were fried.” Velma Infante is now suing Gabriel’s former employer, B Comm Constructions, alleging “gross negligence” in her son’s death. The lawsuit claims that Gabriel and his coworkers were not provided with proper protection from the extreme heat, and there were no policies or systems in place to safeguard them from known hazards.

Gabriel’s case is not an isolated incident. A CNN investigation revealed that from 2011 to 2021, there were at least 436 work-related deaths in the United States due to environmental heat exposure. With record-shattering heat becoming the new norm, more deaths are expected. The report highlights the stories of two women who lost loved ones to extreme heat while working outdoors. Carla Gates, whose husband Eugene Gates passed away while delivering mail in the Dallas area, stated, “They cannot work under the same working conditions that they were working under 20 years ago. The weather is not the same anymore. We have to save these workers’ lives.”

Carla Gates described her husband’s death as a “death trap,” emphasizing that it was unsafe for him to work outside in such extreme conditions. Eugene collapsed in a neighbor’s front yard while delivering mail and was rushed to the hospital, where he later passed away. The official cause of his death is still pending, but Carla stressed that he had no health problems whatsoever. On the day Eugene died, temperatures in the Dallas area felt like 119 degrees.

The US Postal Service expressed its condolences, stating that safety is its top priority. The company claims to provide mandatory heat-related and other safety training to all employees. However, Carla believes more needs to be done to protect workers from extreme heat.

Velma Infante and Carla Gates are now advocating for better protections for workers in extreme heat conditions. In Texas, local laws in cities like Austin and Dallas have implemented measures such as water breaks for workers when temperatures exceed 100 degrees. However, a new bill passed by state Republicans restricts local authorities from creating laws or policies that are stricter than state laws. This bill is expected to go into effect in September.

The lack of federal standards for protecting workers in extreme heat is also a concern. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) currently has minimal regulations in place. In September 2021, the Biden administration announced plans to review and potentially update these standards.

Velma Infante and Carla Gates hope that by sharing their stories, they can bring attention to the need for stronger protections for workers facing extreme heat. They believe that no worker should have to endure dangerous working conditions and that more should be done to prevent tragic deaths like those of Gabriel and Eugene..