From Surviving to Thriving -- Worker Health and Disaster

Workers helping to pick up the pieces after major weather disasters encounter a multitude of safety and health hazards as they begin rebuilding damaged homes and structures, restoring electricity and clean water, clearing fallen debris, cleaning up hazardous waste, repairing infrastructure, and reopening schools and public services. This post examines the way that subpar efforts to protect workers from unsafe and unhealthy working conditions effectively support, even exacerbate, the exploitative practices of companies seeking to make a quick buck off the devastation. Recommendations for protecting the health and safety of recovery workers follow.