The growing number of people dying because they are forced to keep working in extreme heat requires the EU to strengthen workers’ rights to meet the rising threat of climate change.
That is the message trade unions will give European Commission representatives on Tuesday at an event held to mark International Workers Memorial Day, the day on which the labour movement commemorates those who have lost their lives at work.
At the conference in Brussels organised by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and European Trade Union Institute, workers’ representatives will highlight the overwhelming evidence of the need for legislation to ensure employers work with unions to put in place common sense measures, such as the provision of drinking water, access to shade, and breaks in work.
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There has been a 42% increase in heat-related workplace fatalities in the EU since 2000 – the fastest increase of any part of the world;
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The number of people exposed to heat waves at work in the EU has increased by 60% over the last 20 years;
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47% of people say they have felt too hot at work, but just 15% say action has been taken to keep them safe;
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When temperatures rise above 30°C, the risk of workplace accidents increases by 5-7% and, when temperatures exceed 38°C, accidents are between 10% to 15% more likely.
In 2023, the European Commission issued guidance on employers’ responsibility to people working in high temperatures. But research shows that employers have demonstrated “reluctance to adopt preventive measures” and a “refusal to accept the inclusion of [heat] specific measures” in collective bargaining agreements.
That contributed to a spate of preventable deaths last summer, including an agriculture worker who died in Spain after harvesting fruit in temperatures exceeding 40°C, two construction workers who died after collapsing with heat stroke, and a 50-year-old who died after his body temperature rose to 42,9 °C while working in a distribution centre in France.
That is why the ETUC is calling for legislation on maximum working temperatures to be included in the forthcoming Quality Jobs Act.
Speaking at the event, ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch will say:
“Deaths from heat at work are not accidents – they are predictable and preventable, yet too many employers are still failing to take the risk seriously.
“For many years now, our affiliates have been reporting tragic cases of workers dying as a result of exposure to extreme heat. These deaths are occurring across a wide range of sectors, including street cleaning, forestry, agriculture, construction, and even in indoor environments such as industry. Their loss underlines the urgent need to act.
“While the European Commission has taken steps in recent years, including issuing guidance, the reality on the ground is clear: guidance alone is not enough. As our members systematically report us, every summer, workers continue to fall ill, suffer accidents, and in the worst cases, lose their lives. This situation calls for urgent legislative action.”
ETUC Confederal Secretary Giulio Romani will say:
“Occupational heat is no longer an emerging issue – it is already a daily reality for millions of workers across Europe. As we have heard, this is not only about discomfort; it is about health, safety, and, increasingly, loss of life.
“There is, importantly, a window of opportunity. The ongoing work on the Quality Jobs Act provides a political space to integrate stronger protections for workers facing extreme weather conditions. This could be a key avenue to ensure that climate resilience becomes an integral part of quality employment in Europe.”
Photo: Carlos Costa/ European Union
https://www.etuc.org/en/pressrelease/unions-call-eu-heat-law-workers-memorial-day
Türkiye: Making a statement on extreme heat hazards
Turkish affiliates of the global construction union federation BWI – YOL-IS, AGAC-IS, TARIM ORMAN-IS, CIMSE-IS and ORMAN-IS – are planning to gather together to make a statement on the hazards of extreme heat.
Climate crisis a major workplace risk, warns ITUC
#iwmd24 | Climate risks for workers | ITUC International Workers’ Memorial Day/Day of Mourning theme announced
The climate crisis is creating new and heightened occupational risks to workers, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is warning.
Extreme weather and changing weather patterns are affected job security and health for workers, the global union body says. In response to the crisis, it says, the theme for International Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April 2024 will be ‘Climate risks for workers’.
Heat-related deaths and diseases in workers in agriculture, construction and other outdoor jobs have soared, ITUC notes. It adds work in extreme weather can cause fatigue and increases in workplace injuries and stress-related disease. Elevated levels of airborne pollution associated with heatwaves can lead to increased hospitalisations and deaths, it warns. And it adds higher UV exposures place workers at risk of chronic health problems, including skin cancer and eye damage (macular degeneration).
The ITUC alert comes in the wake of climate-related health warnings from UN agencies. A World Health Organisation (WHO) December 2023 statement noted the year had witnessed “an alarming surge in climate-related disasters, including wildfires, heatwaves and droughts, leading to the displacement of populations, agricultural losses and heightened air pollution. The ongoing climate crisis has significantly increased the risk of life-threatening diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue.”
A September 2023 International Labour Organisation (ILO) just transition policy brief, Occupational safety and health in a just transition, noted the climate crisis “without proper controls in place, may increase the risk for injury, disease and death for workers due to heat stress, extreme weather events, exposure to hazardous chemicals, air pollution and infectious disease, among others.”
ILO added: “Numerous health effects on workers have been linked to climate change, including injuries, cancer cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and effects on their psychosocial health. There has been an increase in the estimated number of deaths among the global working-age population due to exposure to hot temperatures.”
ITUC notes that climate change is also putting workers at increased risk from infections. “The climate crisis, urbanisation and changing land use are impacting on occupational health and safety and have led to biological hazards posing new risk or risks in new places,” a December 2024 ITUC briefing on biological hazards notes.
It is a point reinforced in the ILO just transition policy brief, which warns “risks from vector-borne diseases, such as malaria or dengue fever, will increase with warming temperatures, including potential shifts in geographic range of these vectors as a result of climate change.
“This development affects all workers, especially outdoor workers who are at higher risk of contracting vector-borne diseases, from vectors such as mosquitoes, fleas and ticks. Moreover, infectious diseases may also affect workers via waterborne and foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonella spp. when they have direct contact with contaminated water or food.”
ILO has said it will commemorate World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April, and will follow the theme adopted by ITUC and unions worldwide, focusing on “the impacts of climate change on occupational safety and health”. ILO added it will produce supporting promotional materials including a poster and report and will organise a global event with experts and guest speakers from governments, employers and workers “to discuss how to protect workers and respond to this global challenge.”
ITUC will produce its own guides and social media resources which will be available on its dedicated International Workers’ Memorial Day website, www.28april.org
Resources
ITUC global shifts – just transition webpages.
Hazards climate and workers’ health webpages.
ILO adopts climate risks theme for 28 April 2024
The impacts of climate change on occupational safety and health
Every 28 April, the International Labour Organization (ILO) commemorates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, focusing on a timely theme related to occupational safety and health.This year, the theme will mirror the theme adopted by unions worldwide, and will focus on exploring the impacts of climate change on occupational safety and health.Changing weather patterns have notable impacts on the world of work, particularly affecting workers safety and health. Examples of occupational risks exacerbated by climate change include heat stress, UV radiation, air pollution, major industrial accidents, extreme weather events, an increase in vector-born diseases and increased exposure to chemicals.The ILO will produce several materials for the World Day 2024, including a report, promotional materials, as well as a global event with experts and guest speakers from governments, employers and workers to discuss how to protect workers and respond to this global challenge (April 2024 Exact Date To be announced).
Contact Information
Safe Day Team
Email : safeday@ilo.org
Manal Azzi, Occupational Safety and Health Team Lead
Email : azzi@ilo.org