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Paraguay’s El Surti reveals effects of rising temperatures through experiment with delivery drivers. Independent media outlet El Surti of Paraguay has dedicated a significant part of its coverage in recent years to climate change. From covering activities behind the scenes at the COP28 climate summit<\/a>\u00a0and investigating the\u00a0increase in fuel stations in Asunci\u00f3n<\/a>, to its most recent work on the effects of rising temperatures on workers.<\/p>\n The report titled\u00a0‘El trabajo en riesgo ante un calor que no es normal\u2019<\/a>\u00a0(Work at risk in the face of heat that is not normal) was based on an experiment with delivery workers in Greater Asunci\u00f3n, Paraguay, to reveal risks they face due to increased temperatures aggravated by the climate crisis. It was published last November after eight months of investigation.<\/p>\n In 2022, Paraguay experienced an unusual heat wave with temperatures above 106.7 \u00b0F in the shade. As explained in the report, in the last 40 years, the average heat wave in Paraguay increased three times, and\u00a0there is evidence\u00a0<\/a>that links its likelihood to the climate crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cWe strive to reveal who is responsible for this global crisis, their disinformation narratives and possible solutions. And in general we try to ensure that the information we publish connects with our audience, from the choice of publication formats to the angle of the stories,\u201d Jazm\u00edn Acu\u00f1a, editor of this project and editorial coordinator of El Surti, told\u00a0LatAm Journalism Review (LJR).<\/b><\/p>\n For Acu\u00f1a, focusing the investigation on motorcycle delivery drivers, who became essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, came about for two reasons.<\/p>\n First of all, delivery drivers are an emerging workforce in Paraguay, \u201ceminently young and urban, both characteristics shared with those who make up our audience. In fact, we know that those who read us not only use the delivery service. Among them, some have found a job opportunity and a source of income in this profession,\u201d Acu\u00f1a explained.<\/p>\n El Surti of Paraguay ran an experiment with delivery workers in Greater Asunci\u00f3n to reveal the risks they face due to increased temperatures aggravated by the climate crisis.\u00a0(Photo: Elisa Marecos Sald\u00edvar-El Surti)<\/em><\/p>\n Collaboration with the scientific academy<\/strong><\/p>\n El Surti published this project in alliance with\u00a0Am\u00e9rica Futura from El Pa\u00eds<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0had the support of the Pulitzer Center<\/a>, both of whom have been actively supporting journalistic investigation in Latin America.<\/p>\n Thanks to the advice of Pulitzer Center editor Christine Spolar, the El Surti team contacted scientist\u00a0Andreas Flouris<\/a>, a world leader in studies about heat in labor contexts, and they were able to carry out the scientific experiment guided by his methodology.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking with Jazm\u00edn Acu\u00f1a was a wonderful experience! We were able to design a robust investigation on the topic of heat stress for workers. Journalists have a very good sense of what is important to address and what not, as they are very much in contact with society,\u201d Flouris told\u00a0LJR.<\/b><\/p>\n The experiment was carried out with five volunteer delivery drivers for seven days in the months of February and March 2023, two months after the December heat wave in Paraguay. Monitors were placed on each person’s torso to record whether their core body temperature increased on their runs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe take other data from the measurement days such as the heart rate of the delivery people and the weather conditions. The team recorded all of this information in a database we built in\u00a0Airtable<\/a>\u00a0for subsequent analysis. The monitors showed that the core temperature of the delivery drivers increased in all cases at times, but one delivery woman reached a temperature that is considered mild hyperthermia, when the temperature rises in such a way that the body loses the capacity for thermoregulation,\u201d Acu\u00f1a said.<\/p>\n The data work for this investigation was not limited to measurements with the delivery drivers. According to Acu\u00f1a, they also worked with data from Paraguay\u2019s Weather Service to calculate the wet bulb temperature index, a value that evaluates the danger to health when exposed to heat.<\/p>\n In turn, they took data on temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and radiation on the same days that they monitored the delivery workers’ routes.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks to a calculator from the\u00a0Heat-Health Organization<\/a>, we found that delivery drivers were exposed to high risk and extreme risk to health due to heat. For example, the day a delivery girl suffered mild hyperthermia, she was exposed to these risk indices. Dr. Flouris also told us that the radiation exceeded levels considered high. With these levels of radiation and high temperatures, the delivery drivers feel, as the professor told us, \u201cas if a hair dryer is turned on their face. For hours,\u2019\u201d Acu\u00f1a said.<\/p>\n Challenges during the investigation<\/strong><\/p>\n El Surti of Paraguay has dedicated a significant part of its coverage in recent years to climate change. (Photo: El Surti)<\/em><\/p>\n The report also included a review of scientific literature, requests for public information, interviews with delivery workers and specialists, mapping of legislation and other actions in the region regarding heat protection in work.<\/p>\n But, the El Surti team said the most demanding part of carrying out the investigation was, without a doubt, the implementation of the experiment.<\/p>\n On the one hand, they had to build trust with the delivery workers. To achieve this, they found it essential to work with the union. The investigators also had to deal with certain weather conditions (such as rain), or the availability of delivery drivers to participate in the measurement days.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very challenging to match them with the times and places they could do, since they are on the street all the time and do not have a check-in or check-out time. We got 13 of the delivery drivers to answer an extensive questionnaire, 10 of them to give us in-depth interviews and five participated in the experiment,\u201d Romina C\u00e1ceres, El Surti reporter, told\u00a0LJR.<\/b><\/p>\n In the report itself, the journalists clarify that Flouris recommended that they carry out the same process more times to consolidate the data and draw better conclusions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe issue of workplace heat stress is extremely important! Millions of people all over the world are exposed to heat stress at work every year, with many of them experiencing heat-related disorders that [are not] undocumented. It has been very encouraging to see that the media has started to pay attention to this issue, but we really must do a lot more to protect workers,\u201d Flouris told\u00a0LJR<\/b>.<\/p>\n This report has been well received by the Paraguayan public. The journalists presented the findings of the investigation to representatives of the Ministries of Labor and Health, delivery drivers, two legislators, as well as members of their audience, such as doctors and urban planners. This is in order to allow an exchange of concerns as well as encourage taking action.<\/p>\n \u201cWe received comments from workers in different sectors about how the heat affects them in their work, other media began to talk about thermal stress,\u201d C\u00e1ceres said. \u201cAnd for the first time, the Ministry of Labor published recommendations aimed at employers and employees in the face of extreme heat days, remembering that there is regulation in this regard.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"calor-delivery-paraguay-15\"](\"https:\/\/www.famelab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/calor-delivery-paraguay-15-300x200.jpg\")
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