Overview

• The joint report released Friday frames occupational heat as a pervasive hazard across outdoor jobs like agriculture, construction and fisheries as well as many indoor environments.
• Drawing on ILO estimates, the authors attribute roughly 23 million work-related accidents and 19,000 deaths each year to heat exposure.
• More than one third of people who frequently work in high temperatures are expected to suffer health impairments, including heat stroke, severe dehydration and long-term kidney damage.
• Studies cited indicate that very warm conditions can reduce information-processing ability by about 10 percent, heightening the risk of mistakes and injuries.
• The organizations urge context-specific measures such as schedule adjustments, appropriate clothing, shade, hydration, breaks and ventilation, noting productivity falls by about 2–3 percent for each degree above 20°C.