7 in 10 workers worldwide exposed to extreme heat risks: study

Extreme heat linked to climate change threatens more than 70 percent of workers worldwide, according to a report released Monday by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

According to data from 2020, the most recent year for which data was available, more than 2.4 billion workers in the world were at risk of some level of exposure to extreme heat. The ILO also found that this percentage is growing, compared to about 65 percent of workers in 2000.

This excessive heat causes approximately 22.87 million occupational accidents per year, according to the ILO, to which it attributes the annual loss of 18,970 lives and just over 2 million disability-adjusted life years. The report also links an additional 26 million cases of chronic kidney disease to work-related heat.

The report also addresses health issues related to exposure to excessive heat, including UV exposure and non-melanoma skin cancer. The ILO estimates that approximately 1.6 billion workers are exposed to UV radiation, while another 1.6 billion workers are exposed to air pollution, contributing to the deaths of 860,000 outdoor workers each year.

“Occupational safety and health considerations must become part of our responses to climate change – both in policy and in actions,” Manal Azzi, team leader on occupational safety and health at the ILO, said in a statement. “Working in a safe and healthy environment is recognized as one of the fundamental principles and rights at work of the ILO. We must deliver on that promise on climate change, just like in every other aspect of the work.”

The data used for the report predates 2023, when both the hottest summer on record and the hottest year on record were recorded. Last summer, the Biden administration said it would step up enforcement of employers’ heat safety violations, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued long-delayed federal heat protections for workers. Two states, Florida and Texas, have passed laws prohibiting local governments from implementing heat protection for workers beyond those at the state level.