Extreme heat endangering health, affecting productivity of workers worldwide: WHO-WMO report

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) The productivity of workers in extreme heat drops by two to three per cent for every degree above an ambient temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, highlights a report brought out by the United Nations' health and climate agencies.

Analysing evidence from studies from past five decades that "have provided conclusive evidence that workplace heat stress directly threatens workers' ability to live healthy and productive lives", the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have also outlined guidance on how the growing risks of heat can be mitigated in the section of society.

Extreme heat events around the world occur more often and have become intense, increasing risks for both outdoor and indoor workers, authors of the report say, adding that related health risks include heatstroke and dehydration, and brain and kidney disorders.

All of this can impact the long-term health and economic security of the workers' population, they said.

Vidhya Venugopal, professor of occupational hygiene and health at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research's faculty of public health, Tamil Nadu, and an author on the report, told PTI, "The report acknowledges that extreme heat affecting workers worldwide has emerged as a significant and growing occupational crisis requiring urgent intervention." Venugopal was the lead author on a 2023 study which found that pregnant women exposed to extreme heat at work could be at double the risk of a miscarriage. The findings are published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

According to the WMO, the year 2024 was the hottest on record and daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and 50 degrees Celsius are becoming increasingly common.

The WHO-WMO report further pointed out that about half the world's population suffers adverse consequences of high temperatures.

The figures call for immediate action to address the worsening impact of heat stress on workers worldwide, the authors said.

Measures recommended under the guidance include developing policies related to the health hazard of heat at the workplace, with plans and advisories tailored to local weather, specific worker roles and vulnerabilities.

Highlighting key challenges in current climate strategies in India, Venugopal said, "Solutions must be developed with our cultural context in mind. Many climate adaptation strategies overlook the basic realities of our culture and are therefore failing. We need to consider the social and physical demands that vary by gender." Economic disparities too are a critical factor and they must be addressed when designing solutions to heat exposure in the workplace. "The poorest sections of society face the greatest impact from extreme heat, yet have the least capacity to cope with these effects," she added.

"Climate adaptation that ignores cultural wisdom and economic justice will continue to fail those who need it most," Venugopal said.

The authors also called for a focus on vulnerable populations, with special attention on middle-aged and older workers, those having chronic conditions or a lower level of physical fitness that can put them at a higher risk of heat stress.

Awareness needs to be increased among first responders, health professionals, employers and workers in recognising and treating symptoms of heat stress, they said.

The team also urged for solutions that are sustainable and implementable at scale, suggesting the use of technology to safeguard health whilst maintaining productivity.

They also said more research and evaluation are needed to make occupational heat-health measures more effective and ensure maximum protection for workers worldwide. PTI KRS KRS KSS KSS