BOW, Wash. — In the midst of above-average temperatures, people who work outside are at a greater risk for heat-related illnesses.
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) enacted emergency rules to protect outdoor workers, like people who work on farms, in hot weather.
The annual berry harvest is underway in Skagit County. The wet Northwest spring pushed it back by a couple of weeks and into the heat of late July and August.
That is pushing risks up for farmworkers.
Marcela Hilario no longer works in the fields of Skagit County. She's moved inside to a farm stand at Bow Hill Blueberries, quitting the unforgiving work a few years ago after falling sick from heatstroke at a different farm.
"I was picking and the next thing I know I lose consciousness," she said. "I just fell. Next thing I remember is my parents picking me up. I was told by my boss just to go home."
Some farmworkers are reluctant to leave because it can cost them a day's wages.
While Hilario no longer works in the fields, her mother, father, sister and brother still do. She worries about them when the temperatures reach the levels they have this week.
"It's not a job that anyone loves, but it's something you have to work in because it's the only job you can get," said Hilario.
During last year's heatwave, 180 people across the Northwest died from heat-related illnesses, among them were farm workers.
Last summer, L&I enacted emergency protections for farmworkers, hoping to keep them from having to make the choice between risking heatstroke or providing for their families.
The protections went in place when temperatures hit 100 degrees. This year, that threshold has dropped to 89 degrees.
Nearby shade for workers is now mandatory, along with paid, 10-minute cool-down periods.
Bosses must monitor air temperatures and check for signs of heatstroke.
A spokesman for L&I says the department has inspectors in the fields every day, including weekends.
Officials are currently working to make the emergency rules permanent.
At Bow Hill Blueberries tents and water coolers are situated just outside the fields.
Co-owner Audrey Matheson applauds the update, saying a healthy crew is a more productive crew.
"What's the saying? An ounce of prevention? Making sure everybody stays safe throughout the day should be on everybody's priority list. We don't want people getting sick," Matheson said.
No one echoes that more than Hilario.
She believes the new rules are working, but she still makes sure to keep a close eye on her family, bringing them bottles of frozen water that they can use to cool down in the fields.
'I'm glad what my employers are doing to help us. They're always wondering if we're doing ok, if it's too hot," she said. "At the end of this, it's about how everyone helps each other out."