UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

On August 17, 2005, Employee #1, on his second day of harvesting lettuce seeds in Huron, CA, worked for eight hours in temperatures that reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit (F), with 15 percent relative humidity. Employee #1 was required to wear a long sleeve shirt, gloves, hat and dust mask. Water was available and frequent water breaks were encouraged by the employer. Harvesting is performed by a crew, a tractor operator, two cutters and four beaters. Cutters cut the plant and throw it into a metal gondola, where the beaters thrash the plant and discard it. Seeds weighing up to 500,000 pounds are transferred to a canvas and raked to separate debris. Prior to working with the seed harvesting, Employee #1 was weeding cotton in temperatures reaching 110 degrees F and was presumed to be well acclimated to the high temperatures. Thirty minutes after work, Employee #1 exhibited hallucinations, vomiting, and lost consciousness. He was transported by ambulance to Hanford Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead with a body temperature of 108.5 degrees F.