2024年08月14日更新-【国际劳工组织】在不断变化的气候中确保工作安全与健康报告_132页_46mb

Summary of "Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate"

Core Content

This ILO report highlights the growing impact of climate change on global worker safety and health, emphasizing the urgent need for coordinated policy responses and workplace interventions. It outlines six key climate-related risks that significantly affect occupational safety and health (OSH): excessive heat, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, extreme weather events, workplace air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and agrochemicals. The report provides evidence-based insights into the health effects, global burden, and current and potential responses to these risks.

Main Points

• Climate Change and Worker Health: Climate change is already causing serious health impacts on workers worldwide, including heat-related illnesses, respiratory diseases, cancer, and mental health conditions. Workers in certain sectors, such as agriculture, construction, and outdoor labor, are particularly vulnerable.

• Global Burden of Climate-Related OSH Risks:

  • Excessive heat: At least 2.41 billion workers are exposed annually, with 22.85 million injuries, 18,970 deaths, and 2.09 million DALYs attributed to heat alone.
  • UV radiation: 1.6 billion workers are exposed annually, with over 18,960 deaths due to non-melanoma skin cancer.
  • Workplace air pollution: 860,000 deaths annually among outdoor workers.
  • Pesticide poisoning: Over 300,000 deaths annually.
  • Vector-borne diseases: Over 15,170 deaths annually.
  • Extreme weather events: 2.06 million deaths between 1970 and 2019 due to weather, climate, and water hazards.

• Current Legislation and Responses:

  • Many countries have introduced laws to address excessive heat, including temperature limits and workplace adaptation guidelines.
  • For other risks, such as UV radiation and air pollution, protections are often integrated into existing OSH or environmental regulations.
  • Limited international harmonization exists for occupational exposure limits and highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs).

• Key Recommendations:

  • Social dialogue is essential for developing practical and effective OSH policies.
  • Policy coherence across government departments is necessary, with integration of OSH into public health and climate change initiatives.
  • Workplace-level preventive measures such as acclimatization, PPE, and rotating job roles are recommended.
  • Further research is needed to strengthen the scientific evidence base for climate-related OSH risks.
  • Adaptation strategies must be prioritized due to the delayed effects of mitigation efforts.

Vulnerable Populations

• Outdoor workers in agriculture, construction, and transport are at high risk due to heat and UV exposure.
• Emergency workers, such as firefighters and medical personnel, face increasingly dangerous conditions due to extreme weather events.
• Informal workers, migrant workers, and those in micro and small enterprises are disproportionately affected.
• Women, men, and older workers have distinct vulnerabilities based on their roles and physical capacities.

Economic and Social Implications

• The financial costs of climate-induced workplace accidents and diseases are substantial, with global losses potentially reaching $2.4 trillion by 2030 due to heat-related illnesses.
• Climate change threatens 1.2 billion jobs that rely on a healthy environment, such as those in farming, fishing, and forestry.
• Climate-induced migration, informal employment, and unemployment are expected to rise, further straining social and economic systems.

Conclusion

• The report underscores the importance of integrating climate and environmental concerns into OSH policies and practices at all levels.
• A global, multisectoral response is needed to address both mitigation and adaptation strategies.
• The just transition framework, as outlined by the ILO, is critical to supporting workers and employers during the shift to a low-carbon economy.
• The inclusion of worker health in the climate change agenda, particularly at COP28, presents a unique opportunity to advance this cause.

Key Takeaways

• Billions of workers are exposed to climate-related hazards, with some facing higher risks.
• Strong evidence links climate change to various health conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues.
• Legislation varies by country, but new laws and regulations are being developed to specifically address climate risks.
• Adaptation is crucial, as mitigation measures may take years to materialize.
• Greening practices can introduce new OSH risks, requiring enhanced risk assessments.
• Social dialogue and policy coherence are vital for effective OSH responses to climate change.

Table of Key Climate-Related OSH Risks

Final Note

The report calls for immediate action to protect workers from climate-related risks, emphasizing the need for international cooperation, research, and policy innovation to ensure safe and healthy working environments in a changing climate.