Heat Stress โThreatens Over 2.4 billion Workers Globally, Reports Warn
GENEVA/LONDON – โNew โreports from the World Healthโฃ organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organizationโ (WMO) are sounding the alarm about the escalatingโค risk of heat stress for workers worldwide.The reports detail recommendations for governments, employers, and medical organizations too mitigate the dangers of โextreme heat in the workplace.
According to theโข findings, more than 2.4 billion workers – a significant portion of the global workforce – are exposed to excessive heat. โthis exposure results in over 22.85 million heat-relatedโข accidents annually.
the reports emphasize the need for tailored health protection policies that consider local climates, specific job demands, and individualโ worker vulnerabilities.Special โattention should be given to โmiddle-aged and older workers, individuals with pre-existing chronic health conditions, andโ those withโ lower physical fitness levels, as they are more susceptible to the effects of thermal stress.
Key recommendations include:
Developing localized health โคprotection plans with tailored recommendations.
Targeting vulnerable populations with specific considerations.
โฃ Improving education and awareness regarding the recognition andโ treatment of thermal stress symptoms, which areโข often misdiagnosed. Fostering collaboration between workers, trade unions, โคmedical experts, and local authorities in creating relevant and supported health protectionโ strategies.
โข Prioritizing practical,affordable,and environmentally enduring solutions that can be implemented on a large scale.
Investing in innovative technologies toโ protect worker health while maintaining productivity.
*โ Supporting further researchโ and evaluation โฃto enhance the effectiveness of heat protectionโค measuresโ globally.The WHO and WMO reports alignโฃ with recent findings from the International Labor Organization (ILO) and are intended toโข serve โas a crucialโ resource for policymakers, public health officials, and employers. The authors โฃstate the recommendations are also in line with the key objectives โขof the UN’s sustainable โdevelopment goals.