TLDR:

• Climate change exposes 2.4 billion workers to dangerous heat annually, causing 19,000 deaths.

• Solar UV radiation increases skin cancer risks and can severely damage eyesight.

• Poor air quality in cities like Bangkok and Beijing leads to chronic health issues such as cancer and respiratory diseases.

• Extreme weather events like heavy rains and typhoons are becoming more frequent.

• The use of agrochemicals has doubled since 1919, escalating health risks such as cancer and neurotoxicity.

• ILO added a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental labor right in 2022.

• National policies and workplace regulations need updating to meet the increased risks from climate change.

• Effective risk assessments at workplaces are essential to identify and mitigate emerging hazards.

• Engineering and administrative controls, along with PPE, are critical to manage workplace risks.

• OSH management systems must continuously integrate and improve safety measures to adapt to climate change challenges.

April 30ᵗʰ, 2024 – In a compelling keynote at the 2024 Workplace Safety & Health Conference, Dr. Yuka Ujita, a Senior Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Specialist with the International Labour Organization (ILO), highlighted the urgent challenges climate change poses to workplace safety.

Rising Temperatures and Their Impacts

Dr. Ujita opened her presentation by detailing the primary climate-related challenges affecting workplaces, including increased heat exposure, which affects 2.4 billion workers annually. This exposure has led to almost 23 million occupational injuries and 19,000 deaths each year. The impact extends to both outdoor and indoor environments, where even indoor workers face significant risks from equipment that emits high levels of heat.

UV Radiation and Air Quality Concerns

The speaker discussed the severe consequences of solar UV radiation, especially in terms of skin cancer risks in regions like Europe and North America, and potential eye damage globally. Furthermore, she painted a stark picture of air quality issues in urban centers like Bangkok and Beijing, emphasizing the daily health risks from pollutants, which include increased incidences of cancer, stroke, and respiratory diseases.

The Threat from Extreme Weather and Chemical Exposure

Dr. Ujita also addressed the rising frequency of extreme weather events like heavy rains and typhoons, colloquially referred to in Japan as "guerrilla rainstorms." Additionally, she noted the increased use of agrochemicals due to changing agricultural conditions, with pesticide consumption doubling from 1919 to 2021, posing heightened risks of cancer, neurotoxicity, and other health issues.

ILO's Response and the Path Forward

Highlighting a significant milestone, Dr. Ujita mentioned the ILO’s addition of a "safe and healthy working environment" as a fundamental principle of rights at work in 2022. This addition mandates protections across all demographics and sectors, emphasizing the global and inclusive responsibility to uphold these standards.

National and Workplace-Level Strategies

At the national level, Dr. Ujita urged for the review and update of existing policies and regulations to cope with the escalating risks. At the workplace level, she advocated for rigorous risk assessments to understand and mitigate emerging hazards effectively. She stressed the importance of integrated control measures, including engineering controls like sunshades and water stations, administrative controls, and proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

Continuous Improvement and Systematic Integration

Concluding her presentation, Dr. Ujita called for these measures to be more than temporary fixes but to be integrated continuously into each enterprise's OSH management systems. This approach ensures the ongoing improvement of workplace safety and health standards, crucial for adapting to the evolving challenges posed by climate change.

As climate change continues to redefine the landscape of occupational safety, the insights provided by Dr. Ujita at the conference underscore the critical need for proactive and comprehensive approaches to safeguard workers globally.