Climate change-linked extreme heat poses a threat to over 70% of workers worldwide. according to a report released Monday by the International Labor Organization (ILO).
In 2020, over 2.4 billion workers worldwide were at risk of exposure to extreme heat. This percentage is increasing from 65% in 2000.
According to the ILO, excessive heat causes approximately 22.87 million work-related injuries annually, resulting in the loss of 18,970 lives and just over 2 million years of disabled life. The report also links 26 million cases of chronic kidney disease to work-related heat.
The report also discusses health issues related to excessive heat, including UV radiation exposure and nonmelanoma skin cancer. The ILO estimates about 1.6 billion workers are exposed to UV radiation, while another 1.6 billion are exposed to air pollution, leading to 860,000 outdoor workers’ deaths per year.
Manal Azzi, leader of the occupational safety and health team at the ILO, emphasized the need to integrate occupational safety and health considerations into climate change responses, both in policies and actions. She stressed the importance of providing safe and healthy work environments, which are fundamental principles and rights at work for the ILO.
The data cited in the report predates 2023, the year with the hottest summer and the warmest overall year on record. The Biden administration pledged to enhance enforcement of employers’ heat safety violations last summer, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not yet released long-delayed federal heat protections for workers. Additionally, Florida and Texas have enacted laws preventing local governments from establishing heat protections for workers beyond those at the state level.
