What is Heat Stress and How Does It Affect Work?
“Heat stress is an invisible and silent killer that can rapidly lead to illness, heatstroke, or even death,” defines the International Labour Organization (ILO). It refers to a condition that concerns and threatens workers’ health in an increasingly extreme-temperature world.
Heat stress occurs due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, causing the body to fail in eliminating excess heat. This results in fatigue, headaches, irritability, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness in severe cases, with potentially serious long-term consequences, explains Jorge Gutiérrez Siles, senior consultant at Kaysa Health and Wellbeing.
Psychophysiological Effects
- Decreased work capacity
- Reduced efficiency
- Increased errors
- Physical exhaustion
- Occurrence of accidents
- Cardiovascular overload
- Hydromineral imbalance
Pathological Effects
- Heatstroke
- Dehydration
- Skin rash
- Heat syncope
- Muscle cramps
- Heat exhaustion
“Generally, these negative effects reflect in decreased efficiency and the quality of the finished product or service provided,” states the Cuban institute’s report.
At-Risk Population
In its report “Heat at Work: Implications for Safety and Health,” the ILO warns that more workers worldwide are being exposed to heat stress due to increasingly extreme temperatures in various regions and higher temperatures in places that already had them.
The international organization estimates a 66% increase in the working population exposed to heatwaves over two decades, with 4,200 deaths reported in 2020 alone. However, nine out of ten workers worldwide were exposed to high temperatures outside heatwaves.
“Excessive heat is creating unprecedented challenges for workers worldwide throughout the year, not just during intense heatwave periods,” alerts the ILO. Their estimates show that low- and middle-income economies are most affected, as workplace heat-related injuries can cost around 1.5% of national GDP.
“This is a matter of human rights, workers’ rights, and an economic issue. Medium-income economies are hit the hardest. We need year-round action plans and legislation to protect workers from heat and greater global collaboration among experts to harmonize heat stress assessments and interventions at work,” says Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO Director-General.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is heat stress? Heat stress is a condition caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures, leading to the body’s inability to dissipate excess heat, potentially causing severe health issues.
- Who is at risk? Workers worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income economies, are increasingly exposed to heat stress due to rising global temperatures.
- What are the effects of heat stress? Heat stress can lead to decreased work capacity, reduced efficiency, increased errors, physical exhaustion, accidents, cardiovascular overload, and hydromineral imbalance. Severe cases may result in heatstroke, dehydration, skin rashes, heat syncope, muscle cramps, and heat exhaustion.
- Why is heat stress a concern? Heat stress poses significant risks to workers’ health and productivity, with potential economic impacts on national GDP. It is a human rights and economic issue requiring global collaboration and action plans to protect workers from heat-related hazards.
