Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

29 CFR OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that workers were exposed to excessive heat: 174 NORTH MAPLE STREET, ENFIELD, CT: Between August 10, 2020 and August 12, 2020, the employer exposed approximately 53 employees to the hazards of excessive ambient heat from environmental conditions, exertional requirements or both. Between the hours of approximately 7:30 am to 6:00 pm each day, employees harvested, cut, handled and hooked broad leaf tobacco from a field. The temperature and heat index, respectively, reached 95 degrees F and 97 degrees F on August 10, 94 degrees F and 97 degrees F on August 11, and 92 degrees F and 94 degrees F on August 12. The exposure led to an employee suffering a heat-related illness on August 11, 2020, which eventually led to his death. He was found unresponsive at approximately 3:30pm. EMS transported him to the hospital, where, despite their efforts to cool him, he registered a core body temperature of 107.1 degrees F. The hospital treated the employee in the ICU until he died on August 27, 2020. The employer failed to take adequate precautions to minimize employees' exposure to excessive ambient heat.