OSHA cites Florida company after worker dies in extreme heat in national forest
Working in the recesses of Apalachicola National Forest on a July day as temperatures neared 100 degrees, the supervisor of two crews hired to clear invasive plants saw one 42-year-old worker was sweating heavily, his hands were trembling, and he seemed confused, unable to respond to commands.
The worker rested while other employees finished their tasks. Only 30 minutes later, the supervisor returned to the man finding him unresponsive. Without a cell phone signal, workers had to get help from a ranger station, 14 miles away from their job site. By the time an ambulance became available, the worker had stopped breathing and responders found no pulse. Soon after transport to a hospital, doctors pronounced him dead.