Colorado’s Department of Agriculture has released a multilingual guide for the agricultural sector of COVID-19 protocols that touch on physical distancing measures, access to medical care and safety in employer-provided lodging.

“These new expert recommendations provide important direction to our state’s critically important agriculture industry and to those absolutely essential workers along every stop of the food supply chain,” said Kate Greenberg, the state’s commissioner of agriculture.

The guidelines acknowledge the discomfort that cloth face coverings pose in hot environments, and advise employers to be aware of a potential for heat stroke. In situations where face covering is not practical, there should be even more physical distancing between workers. The United Farm Workers union has warned of the consequences of not providing firm mandates to employers for allowing laborers to remain cool.

“We are concerned because we don’t think all growers will provide enough shade for these farm workers to rest once the 6 feet apart requirements for COVID-19 are factored in,” the union wrote. “Farm workers will have a choice of crowding under the awning to get a break in the shade and put themselves at risk for the coronavirus, or to stay out in the sun and put themselves at risk of heatstroke.”

Employers must allow workers with COVID-19 symptoms to abstain from work and pursue medical attention, but it is only recommended that they provide paid time off. 

Crowded farmworker homes, which have caused COVID-19 to spread in other states, should include “alternating head-to-toe alignment [of beds] to further space breathing zones while sleeping.” The agriculture department recommends putting workers in hotel or motel rooms to increase space, and to use single beds, rather than bunk beds — although none of those suggestions is mandatory.