ILO: More workers are exposed to extreme heat, pollution and poisoning

About 2.41 billion workers are exposed Every year to extreme heat conditions at work – a 34.7% increase compared to the early 2000s, according to a new report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in honor of the International Day for Safety at Work.

According to the organization’s estimates, 70.9% of the global workforce is exposed to extreme heat conditions at work, compared to 65.5% in the early 2000s. According to the organization’s estimate, every year approximately 18,970 workers die and approximately 22.85 million workers are injured or injured in their work as a result of exposure to extreme heat conditions.

However, the impact of climate change on workers goes far beyond exposure to excessive heat, the report states, creating a “cocktail of risks” that result in a variety of dangerous health conditions. The report notes that many worker health conditions have been linked to climate change, including Cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, kidney dysfunction and mental health conditions.

According to the organization, about one billion workers are exposed to high UV radiation from the sun, and over 18,960 people die each year from skin cancer (which is not melanoma) as a result of this exposure at work.

1.6 billion workers are apparently exposed to air pollution at their workplace, which causes the death of approximately 860,000 workers every year.

The report also shows that approximately 870 million agricultural workers around the world are exposed to pesticides that cause the poisoning and death of approximately 300,000 of them each year. Approximately 15,000 additional workers die each year as a result of exposure to parasites and diseases transmitted by animals.

“It is clear that climate change is already creating significant additional health hazards for workers,” said Manal Azi, head of the occupational safety and health team at the International Labor Organization. “It is essential that we pay attention to these warnings. Safety and health considerations at work must be part of our preparation for climate change – both at the policy level and in the field.

“The right to work in a safe and healthy environment is recognized as one of the most basic principles and rights of the International Labor Organization. We must meet this obligation in relation to climate change, just like in any other aspect of work.”

The report also examines the countries’ current responses, including amending or creating new legislation, regulations and guidelines, and improving climate mitigation strategies – such as energy efficiency measures in work environments.

The content of the legislation varies considerably between countries, but some have begun to increase medical monitoring of the condition of employees, update the list of occupational diseases, regulate the scope of occupational exposure to factors that may harm health, increase training and information, and regulate methods of risk assessment and preventive measures in the workplace.