美国国家公共电台 NPR--Encore: Oregon's outdoor worker protection rules are tested as temps heat up

Encore: Oregon's outdoor worker protection rules are tested as temps heat up

Transcript¹

As the West heats up, Oregon's new outdoor worker protection rules are being tested

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

Back-to-back summers with scorching² triple-digit heat have led officials in the Pacific Northwest to add new regulations to protect people working outdoors. Oregon has some of the nation's strongest rules for working in excessive temperatures. But as Oregon Public Broadcasting's Monica Samayoa reports, not everyone benefits.

MONICA SAMAYOA, BYLINE³: For more than a decade, Willie Grishell (ph) has walked the same mail route in northeast Portland. He loves his job, but on hot days, he says it gets hard.

WILLIE GRISHELL: Hello. Man, you are so lucky. Your own letter from the AARP - just what you're waiting for, right?

SAMAYOA: When temperatures soared into triple digits⁴, his pedometer recorded he took nearly 34,000 steps during his 12-hour shift. On days like these, Grishell takes extra care for himself. He eats celery and cucumbers for lunch and drinks a ton of water throughout the day.

GRISHELL: If I don't get to that point of hydration, I'm already going to be in trouble at the start of the next day.

SAMAYOA: After last year's heat dome⁵ event, the state put in place new protocols⁶ to protect outdoor workers. Employers are now required to provide access to shade, cold drinking water and additional rest breaks. But some workers say they're still laboring⁸ in unsafe conditions. Schuyler Fisher (ph) is a forklift driver at a grocery warehouse⁹.

SCHUYLER FISHER: Usually I get home and I do stuff, but I just collapse¹⁰ on the couch pretty much because I'm so exhausted¹¹.

SAMAYOA: On this recent hot day, Fisher says the warehouse he was working in had no AC or air ventilation. He also says his employer has not provided additional rest breaks or cool drinking water.

FISHER: You kind of lose hope. You got to go in there and get your paycheck or else your family isn't going to be fed. So you just - you go in there begrudgingly¹² every day.

SAMAYOA: His employer disputes Fisher's claims. Last year, labor⁷ rights groups were instrumental in establishing new rules shortly after four people died during the heat dome event. Two of those deaths were farmworkers. In Oregon, there are more than 100,000 agriculture employees. Ira Cuello-Martinez is with the group Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste. They represent farmworkers. He says the new rules haven't been consistently enforced.

IRA CUELLO-MARTINEZ: Some workers were unaware¹³ of the rules even being in effect.

SAMAYOA: Cuello-Martinez says he's also heard that some farmers end the workday earlier when temperatures get too high. But that creates another problem for farm workers when they don't get paid as much.

CUELLO-MARTINEZ: They don't have any other source of income, and it does get stressful for them.

SAMAYOA: So far, the state has opened more than 100 inspections¹⁴ and issued just a handful of citations¹⁵ for not following the heat rules. The agency says they'll issue more. Some farmers say the rules have been confusing and hard to enforce. But for some outside workers, the new rules don't apply at all, like letter carrier Willie Grishell. He's a federal employee, not covered by state law.

(SOUNDBITE OF DOG BARKING)

GRISHELL: I know, baby. It's all right.

SAMAYOA: As he nears the end of his route on this day in the 90-degree heat, Grishell says he hopes the federal government adopts standards like those in Oregon. If not, he fears more tragedies may force more regulation.

GRISHELL: The other way that it's going to happen is we're going to have more and more people die.

SAMAYOA: Grishell describes the worst day he can remember last year when it reached 116 degrees. On that day, he says the sun just seemed angry.

For NPR News, I'm Monica Samayoa in Portland.

(SOUNDBITE OF ADRIENNE INDIGO AND PAUL GRANT SONG, "I JUST NEED")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 digits   

n.数字( digit的名词复数 )；手指，足趾

参考例句：

• The number 1000 contains four digits. 1000是四位数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The number 410 contains three digits. 数字 410 中包括三个数目字。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

6 protocols   

n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划）

参考例句：

• There are also protocols on the testing of nuclear weapons. 也有关于核武器试验的协议。 来自辞典例句
• Hardware components and software design of network transport protocols are separately introduced. 介绍系统硬件组成及网络传输协议的软件设计。 来自互联网

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 laboring   

n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• The young man who said laboring was beneath his dignity finally put his pride in his pocket and got a job as a kitchen porter. 那个说过干活儿有失其身份的年轻人最终只能忍辱，做了厨房搬运工的工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• But this knowledge did not keep them from laboring to save him. 然而，这并不妨碍她们尽力挽救他。 来自飘（部分）

9 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

10 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

11 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

12 begrudgingly   

小气地，吝啬地

参考例句：

• Then, begrudgingly, I clean up – which doesn't really take that much time. 于是，为了省钱，我打扫干净－－那也不需要花很多时间。
• His terrible directness made me feel peeved, and begrudgingly I conceded that he was right. 他的坦率让我恼火。我承认他是对的，但十分不甘心。

13 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

14 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 citations   

n.引用( citation的名词复数 )；引证；引文；表扬

参考例句：

• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Some dictionary writers use citations to show what words mean. 有些辞典的编纂者用引文作例证以解释词义。 来自辞典例句