The ILO published a report on the increasing occupational health and safety (OSH) risks of heat stress on workers globally. It covers key health impacts, high-risk geographies, mortality and accident rates and recommendations for companies. We are seeing an increased focus on climate impacts on workers from the ILO and the OECD and expect this to lead to an increased focus on brand supply chains in the future. Clients will need to consider impacts of climate change in their risk assessments under the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
- On 25 July 2024, the ILO published a report on the occupational health and safety (OSH) risks linked to heat stress, Heat at work: Implications for safety and health. The report includes an overview of OSH risks linked to heat stress, national policy responses, and recommendations for companies. It builds on a previous ILO report on the link between climate change impacts and increased OSH risks in the workplace, published in April 2024. The report is comprehensive. We highlighted key findings relevant to our clients below, but we recommend that clients review the full report.
Key findings
- Health impacts – Heat stress can cause a range of health impacts from mild (e.g. fatigue, cramps, skin disorders) to serious (e.g. heatstroke, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and chronic kidney illness). Heat stress also increases the risk of accidents and injuries.
- Vulnerable groups – Migrant and informal workers, women and pregnant workers, older or disabled workers are particularly at risk. Environmental (e.g. heavy clothing, little air movement), pharmaceutical (use of hormones, alcohol, certain drugs) or pathological (acute illness) factors also contribute to vulnerability.
- Mortality rates – In 2020, 4,200 workers globally across sectors died due to heatwaves and 231 million workers were exposed to heatwaves, a 66% increase from 2000.
- Geographic trends – Workers in Africa, the Arab States, and Asia and the Pacific are most often exposed to excessive heat, with 92.9%, 83.6%, and 74.7% of the workforce affected, respectively. The Americas and the Europe and Central Asia regions are facing the fastest rise in heat-related occupational injuries since 2000, with increases of 33.3% and 16.4% respectively. This is likely due to rapidly increasing temperatures in previously temperate regions. The report specifically notes that sugar cane workers in Central America are at higher risk of heat stress, leading to a drastic increase in the risk for chronic kidney disease.
- Sectors involving outdoor work (e.g. agriculture or construction) and factories (e.g. garment sector) are particularly at risk.
Key recommendations for companies
The report includes the following key recommendations for companies.
- Workplace risk assessment – Identify heat-related hazards and evaluate their severity and likelihood, identify who might be harmed and how, assign control responsibilities, and regularly update this risk assessment.
- Heat stress prevention – Eliminate excessive heat exposure, substitute processes, equipment and materials with cooler alternatives, use engineering (e.g. cooling systems) and administrative (e.g. work-rest cycles) controls, and provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers.
- Education and awareness – Carry out regular trainings on heat stress risks, symptoms, employer’s prevention responsibilities, and workers’ rights.
- Health monitoring – Perform regular medical check-ups, provide fitness programs for workers in heat-intensive jobs (improving workers’ physical fitness can help minimise the likelihood of heat-related illness), and implement targeted measures for vulnerable workers.
- Climate change mitigation – Contribute to mitigating heat stress on a global scale by contributing to climate mitigation efforts, e.g. solar cooling, energy-efficient ventilation, and reflective roofing.
- Social dialogue – Encourage collective agreements between companies and trade unions to address OSH risks.