As Temperatures Go Into Triple Digits, Workers in These Cities Are at Risk

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This week, a powerful dome of high pressure is driving temperatures into the triple digits in dozens of major cities throughout California, Arizona, and Texas. Temperatures are topping 100°F weeks ahead of what is normal for the region, prompting local health officials to issue heat advisories and urge at-risk populations to stay indoors.

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As temperatures rise, outdoor work becomes more dangerous. Farmworkers pass out in fields, and garbage collectors suffer second-degree burns from metal truck handles, while construction workers and oil drillers regularly report heat stroke and exhaustion. And in economies centered around work that takes place outside, rising heat can exact an economic toll, as workers are forced to slow down, take shorter shifts, or halt operations altogether during periods of extreme heat.

Recently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted surveys on the physical requirements of more than 500 different occupations in the United States. The BLS cataloged factors like exposure to the outdoors, standing requirements, and weight-lifting requirements to quantify the difficulty and risk of different occupations. Analysis of BLS data reveals the cities where the most workers are required to be outdoors, and are at the greatest risk as temperatures rise.

To determine the cities with the most workers exposed to the outdoors, Climate Crisis 247 reviewed data on physical demands and employment by occupation from the Occupational Requirements Survey and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics programs of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Cities were ranked based on the percentage of workers exposed to the outdoors. Occupation-level data was aggregated from the ORS to the metropolitan statistical area level using employment counts from the OEWS. Concentration by occupation is measured by location quotient.

20. Yakima, WA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 37.9%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $56,860
Highly concentrated occupations: Graders and sorters, agricultural products; cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders; agricultural inspectors

19. Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.1%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $57,380
Highly concentrated occupations: Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic; extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders; conveyor operators and tenders

18. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.1%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $61,480
Highly concentrated occupations: Motorboat operators; passenger attendants; baggage porters and bellhops

17. Wenatchee, WA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.1%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $59,340
Highly concentrated occupations: Graders and sorters, agricultural products; forest and conservation technicians; demonstrators and product promoters

16. Greeley, CO

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.3%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $62,380
Highly concentrated occupations: Service unit operators, oil and gas; roustabouts, oil and gas; derrick operators, oil and gas

15. The Villages, FL

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.3%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $53,920
Highly concentrated occupations: First-line supervisors of correctional officers; correctional officers and jailers; real estate sales agents

14. Lake Charles, LA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.4%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $54,110
Highly concentrated occupations: Tank car, truck, and ship loaders; chemical equipment operators and tenders; gambling dealers

13. Houma-Thibodaux, LA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.5%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $54,310
Highly concentrated occupations: Sailors and marine oilers; captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels; commercial divers

12. Merced, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.6%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $57,100
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; food science technicians; farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

11. Stockton-Lodi, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 38.7%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $61,930
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters; material moving workers

10. Yuma, AZ

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 39.5%
Avg. standing time required: 4.4 hours
Avg. annual wage: $52,490
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers; textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders

9. Hanford-Corcoran, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 40.2%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $61,250
Highly concentrated occupations: Graders and sorters, agricultural products; agricultural equipment operators; farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

8. Farmington, NM

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 40.4%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $52,340
Highly concentrated occupations: Derrick operators, oil and gas; service unit operators, oil and gas; roustabouts, oil and gas

7. El Centro, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 40.5%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $59,580
Highly concentrated occupations: Agricultural workers; farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

6. Odessa, TX

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 41.3%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $57,240
Highly concentrated occupations: Service unit operators, oil and gas; derrick operators, oil and gas; roustabouts, oil and gas

5. Visalia-Porterville, CA

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Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 41.9%
Avg. standing time required: 4.7 hours
Avg. annual wage: $57,030
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; farming, fishing, and forestry occupations; first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

4. Bakersfield, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 42.9%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $60,160
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; farming, fishing, and forestry occupations; agricultural workers

3. Midland, TX

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 43.5%
Avg. standing time required: 4.5 hours
Avg. annual wage: $67,370
Highly concentrated occupations: Service unit operators, oil and gas; derrick operators, oil and gas; wellhead pumpers

2. Salinas, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 43.5%
Avg. standing time required: 4.6 hours
Avg. annual wage: $61,240
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; farming, fishing, and forestry occupations; first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

1. Madera, CA

Est. workers exposed to the outdoors: 43.5%
Avg. standing time required: 4.7 hours
Avg. annual wage: $58,260
Highly concentrated occupations: Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse; farming, fishing, and forestry occupations; first-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers