International Labour Organization Reveals Heat Stress Impact
Heat stress affects worker safety, health, and productivity in six countries, according to ISHN. The International Labour Organization found significant economic losses due to heat stress.
Original reporting · ishn.com
Original: “New ILO Studies Reveal Growing Impact of Heat Stress on Jobs and Productivity in 6 Countries”
Read “New ILO Studies Reveal Growing Impact of Heat Stress on Jobs and Productivity in 6…” at ISHN →
How this was written. A Safety Kit wrote this article with a language model from ISHN’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from ISHN’s report
- Heat stress affects worker safety, health, and productivity in six countries, including Ethiopia and Ghana.
- The International Labour Organization found significant economic losses due to heat stress, with job losses and GDP losses projected to increase over time.
- Measures such as occupational safety and health interventions and social protection can help mitigate the effects of heat stress.
- Social dialogue is seen as a key tool in developing responses to heat stress.
- Protecting workers from heat stress is critical for their health and well-being, as well as for productivity and the economy.
The International Labour Organization has released new studies showing the growing impact of heat stress on jobs and productivity in six countries, including Ethiopia, Ghana, and Sri Lanka, according to ISHN. These studies were launched at an online event and highlight the risks of heat stress, particularly in countries with high levels of outdoor employment. The studies found that heat stress affects not only worker safety and health but also the wider economy.
The countries studied have large shares of employment in outdoor and labor-intensive sectors, such as agriculture and construction, making them more vulnerable to heat stress. The degree of impact also depends on national climate conditions and economic structures. ISHN reported that the studies provide new evidence on the effects of heat stress on workers and national economies.
Heat stress is already affecting the world of work, generating significant economic losses and job losses, particularly in countries with high temperatures. Climate change is projected to cause further job and economic losses across all six countries, with impacts worsening over time. The studies found that by 2040, job losses could range from thousands to millions of jobs, depending on the country.
The economic losses due to heat stress are also significant, with annual GDP losses ranging from millions to billions of dollars. By 2060, under high-emissions scenarios, the impacts could be even greater, with job losses and GDP losses increasing substantially. ISHN reported that the studies highlight the need for measures to address the effects of heat stress.
The International Labour Organization suggests that occupational safety and health interventions, social protection, and climate-resilient economic planning can help mitigate the effects of heat stress. Social dialogue is also seen as a key tool in developing responses to heat stress, as it allows for the needs and experiences of governments, employers, and workers to be taken into account.
The studies emphasize the importance of protecting workers from heat stress, not only for their health and well-being but also for productivity and the economy as a whole. As temperatures continue to rise, it will be critical to ensure that workers and enterprises can respond to changing conditions while safeguarding health and livelihoods.
Questions and answers
What are the main sectors affected by heat stress?
The main sectors affected by heat stress are outdoor and labor-intensive sectors, such as agriculture, construction, and transport.
How can the effects of heat stress be mitigated?
The effects of heat stress can be mitigated through measures such as occupational safety and health interventions, social protection, and climate-resilient economic planning.
Why is social dialogue important in addressing heat stress?
Social dialogue is important in addressing heat stress because it allows for the needs and experiences of governments, employers, and workers to be taken into account in developing responses to heat stress.
