The International Labour Organization (ILO) released on July 25 a comprehensive report on the effect of occupational heat stress on the health of workers and the resulting economic implications. Furthermore, the United Nations announced a call to action on occupational heat stress.
La Isla Network is proud to see its own research, work from the Adelante Initiative, pictures taken by our esteemed colleague Ed Kashi, and our research partners’ projects—including Andreas Flouris, Vidhya Venugopal and Jason Kai Wei Lee—in the new ILO report. While the report shows the continued danger that workers face from extreme heat, we are also happy to see the report detail the progress being made to protect workers in a changing climate. La Isla Network will continue to do what it must to protect workers using data-driven and verifiable research methods.
This summer is set to be the hottest in recorded human history, with climate change playing an undeniable role in hotter average temperatures. On July 21 the global average surface air temperature was the highest ever recorded, at 62.76°F/17.09°C, since 1940. July 22 broke the record again, at 0.11°F/0.06°C than the previous day.
A previous ILO report determined that 22.85 million injuries and 18,970 fatalities in the workplace every year are linked to extreme heat exposure. Furthermore, 80 million jobs will be lost due to high temperatures by 2030.
The new report dives deeper into occupational heat stress. It provides updated estimates on the number of workers exposed to excessive heat worldwide, detailed regional data on heat stress impacts, analysis of economic costs associated, and recommendations for developing effective heat action plans for workplaces.
Matthijs Nieuwenhuis, Director of European Development at La Isla Network, said:
“This ILO report confirms the growing threat of heat stress to workers’ health worldwide and its economic impact. It underlines the urgency of taking action now!
“Workers’ lives, as well as production and the economy, are at risk from rising temperatures. Fortunately, by adopting innovative protocols, companies can ensure the future of their businesses and protect the health of their employees. This is not just an issue in Asia or Africa, but also in the United States and Europe. I urge companies to take responsibility and work with organizations like La Isla Network to protect the health of their workers.”
Please view the report below
La Isla Network would like to thank the following people for their help in writing and contributing to the report: Manal Azzi, Lacye Groening and Halshka Graczyk (ILO); Andreas Flouris (FAME Lab); Vidhya Venugopal (Sri Ramachandra University); Jason Kai Wei Lee (National University of Singapore); and Ed Kashi.
Thank you for reading. La Isla Network protects workers in a changing climate. We generate and implement data-driven worker protection and management assessment protocols to improve the resiliency of workforces and businesses to heat stress. For more information including press engagements please contact in**@la***********.org .
