Billions at 'real' risk of extreme heat in the workplace, World Health Organisation says

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 22/08/2025 - 12:15 GMT+2 •Updated 12:22

Billions of workers worldwide request amended protection from utmost power successful nan workplace arsenic ambiance alteration makes sweltering conditions much frequent, a caller associated study by nan World Health Organisation (WHO) and nan World Meteorological Organisation has found.

The study says that billions of group are already exposed to vulnerable power astatine work, expanding their consequence to heat-related unwellness specified arsenic power stroke, dehydration and kidney disease.

More than 2.4 cardinal workers are exposed to excessive heat, representing 71% of nan world's full moving population.

The report's authors said its findings should service arsenic a informing to return action.

Measures are needed astatine nan level of section community, successful businesses, institutions and schools, it said. Employers are besides responsible for ensuring activity conditions are safe and hazard-free.

"We must look up to nan early of utmost heat. It's a reality for many. A lawsuit of accommodate aliases die," Johan Stander from WMO said.

According to estimates from nan International Labour Organisation, utmost power leads to much than 22 cardinal occupational injuries each twelvemonth and almost 19,000 fatalities.

"Severity intends not only much days of heat, but besides higher temperatures. And very often it's considered arsenic discomfort, thing you person to woody with. But that is simply a wellness crisis," nan WHO's Director for Environment, Climate Change and Migration, Rüdiger Krech, said.

Often, it is workers "keeping our societies running" that are paying nan highest price, Krech said. Work-related power accent impacts susceptible communities pinch constricted entree to cooling, healthcare and protective labour policies much severely.

The origin is much captious arsenic predominant heatwaves crossed nan world are becoming a caller reality.

This summer, exceptionally precocious temperatures were recorded crossed Europe, pinch countries specified arsenic France, Portugal, Greece and Spain regularly reaching 40C.

Soaring temperatures person triggered devastating fires crossed confederate Europe, pinch Spain and Portugal watching 1 of their astir severe wildfire seasons connected record.