Heat and Harm: Climate Change on the Job in Michigan’s Latino Workforce

Latino workers are overrepresented in construction, food processing, and manufacturing—sectors at the frontlines of climate risk—yet few protections exist to safeguard them from rising temperatures and worsening air quality.

Many Latino workers face dangerous conditions without heat protections, air quality warnings, or employer accountability. Working 10 to 12 hours daily, sometimes seven days a week, workers toil under blazing sun or in poorly ventilated factories. They lack sufficient recovery time and receive no pay when ill from the same workplace conditions that made them sick.

This project uncovers gaps in enforcement, exposes employer negligence, and documents the real-world impact of climate hazards on Michigan’s Latino workforce. It investigates whether employers are complying with existing regulations, how state labor agencies track (or fail to track) climate-related job risks, and what consequences—if any—exist for failing to protect workers.