在不断变化的气候中确保工作安全与健康（英）-132页_46mb

Summary: Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate

Core Content

Climate change is increasingly affecting the safety and health of workers globally, with rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental degradation creating new occupational risks. These risks are not only physical but also mental, and they disproportionately impact vulnerable groups such as migrant workers, informal sector employees, women, children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has identified six key climate-related occupational safety and health (OSH) risks: excessive heat, solar UV radiation, extreme weather events, workplace air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and agrochemicals. These risks are analyzed in terms of their impact on worker health, exposure levels, and current legislative and policy responses.

Main Points and Key Impacts

1. Excessive Heat

• High-risk sectors: Agriculture, construction, transport, tourism, and sports.
• Health impacts: Heat stress, heatstroke, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and physical injuries.
• Global exposure: At least 2.41 billion workers are exposed annually.
• Work-related burden: 22.85 million injuries, 18,970 deaths, and 2.09 million DALYs attributed to excessive heat.
• Responses: Many countries have introduced specific laws with temperature limits and adaptive measures. Protective actions include acclimatization, hydration, PPE, and shaded rest areas.

2. Solar UV Radiation

• High-risk sectors: Outdoor workers, including construction, agriculture, lifeguards, and firefighters.
• Health impacts: Sunburn, skin cancer, cataracts, and eye damage.
• Global exposure: 1.6 billion workers are exposed annually.
• Work-related burden: Over 18,960 deaths annually due to non-melanoma skin cancer.
• Responses: Some laws cover UV protection, but more specific regulations are limited. Protective measures include PPE, sunscreen, and shaded areas.

3. Extreme Weather Events

• High-risk sectors: Emergency workers, construction, agriculture, and fishing.
• Health impacts: Varies, but includes trauma, exposure to hazardous conditions, and mental health issues.
• Global exposure: Limited data available.
• Work-related burden: 2.06 million deaths from weather, climate, and water hazards (not only occupational) between 1970 and 2019.
• Responses: Limited legislation, but some countries have specific regulations for events like wildfires. Emergency preparedness is critical.

4. Workplace Air Pollution

• High-risk sectors: Outdoor workers, transport workers, and firefighters.
• Health impacts: Lung cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular disease.
• Global exposure: 1.6 billion outdoor workers at risk.
• Work-related burden: 860,000 deaths annually from air pollution.
• Responses: Air pollution protections are mostly integrated into broader climate or public health policies. Indoor-focused OSH regulations are less effective for outdoor exposure.

5. Vector-Borne Diseases

• High-risk sectors: Outdoor workers, including farmers, foresters, and construction workers.
• Health impacts: Malaria, Lyme disease, dengue, and others.
• Global exposure: Limited data.
• Work-related burden: Over 15,170 deaths annually from parasitic and vector diseases.
• Responses: Legislation is mostly focused on biological hazards, with limited mention of vector-borne diseases. Research on specific protective measures is limited.

6. Agrochemicals

• High-risk sectors: Agricultural workers, chemical industry, pesticide sales, and vector control.
• Health impacts: Poisoning, cancer, neurotoxicity, and reproductive disorders.
• Global exposure: 873 million agricultural workers face increased exposure.
• Work-related burden: Over 300,000 deaths annually from pesticide poisoning.
• Responses: Many countries have regulations on the safe use of agrochemicals, but there is no harmonized international list of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs).

Policy and Legislative Responses

• Existing standards: The ILO has developed over 40 OSH standards, including those addressing climate-related risks.
• Guidelines: The ILO's Guidelines for a Just Transition help support workers and employers during the shift to a low-carbon economy.
• Legislative gaps: While some countries have introduced specific laws for excessive heat, comprehensive legislation for other climate-related risks is still lacking.
• Need for adaptation: As climate change evolves, existing OSH laws must be updated or new regulations developed to address emerging risks.
• Social dialogue and coordination: Collaboration between governments, employers, and workers is essential for effective OSH policies. Coordination between departments and integration with public health campaigns can enhance protection.

Cross-Cutting Factors

• Gender: Women, especially in subsistence agriculture, face higher risks due to pregnancy-related complications.
• Age: Young workers are more vulnerable to heat and accidents due to lack of experience, while older workers are more susceptible to climate-related stress.
• Disability: Workers with disabilities are at greater risk due to social and economic marginalization.
• Pre-existing health conditions: Chronic illnesses like diabetes and respiratory diseases are exacerbated by climate change.
• Migrant workers: Often lack understanding of OSH procedures due to language barriers.
• Informal workers: Lack access to OSH protections and infrastructure, increasing their vulnerability.

ILO's Role and Commitment

• The ILO has emphasized the importance of a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental right.
• The ILO Global Strategy on OSH (2024-30) prioritizes climate-related OSH risks and calls for a tripartite meeting on OSH in extreme weather events.
• The ILO encourages just transition strategies that protect workers while promoting sustainable development.

Call to Action

• A global, multisectoral response is necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts on OSH.
• Integration of climate concerns into OSH policies and practices is crucial.
• Further research and knowledge transfer are needed to inform effective OSH strategies.
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation measures must be implemented at all levels—global, national, and workplace—to protect worker health and promote social justice.

Economic and Social Implications

• Climate change threatens 1.2 billion jobs in sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
• It leads to increased migration, informal employment, and unemployment in affected regions.
• Economic costs are significant, with heat-related illnesses projected to cost US$2.4 trillion by 2030 and air pollution costs already exceeding US$800 billion annually in the US.

Conclusion

Climate change is a growing threat to worker safety and health, with severe physical and mental health consequences. While some OSH protections exist, they are often insufficient or outdated. A coordinated, evidence-based, and inclusive approach is needed to address these challenges, with a focus on vulnerable populations and the integration of climate concerns into OSH frameworks. The ILO plays a central role in guiding this transition through international standards, social dialogue, and advocacy for a just and sustainable future for all workers.