By Ayomide Otitoju
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have issued a joint report warning of growing health challenges caused by extreme heat, particularly for workers in vulnerable sectors.
The report, Climate Change and Workplace Heat Stress, highlights five decades of research showing how rising temperatures are severely undermining health and productivity worldwide. WMO confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40°C and even 50°C in some regions.
“Heat stress is already harming the health and livelihoods of billions of workers, especially in the most vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care. “This new guidance offers practical, evidence-based solutions to protect lives, reduce inequality, and build more resilient workforces in a warming world.”
Workers in agriculture, construction, and fisheries are among those most exposed, while vulnerable groups such as children, older adults, and low-income populations are also at increasing risk.
WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett stressed that extreme workplace heat is no longer confined to equatorial countries, citing Europe’s recent heatwave as an example.
“Protection of workers from extreme heat is not just a health imperative but an economic necessity,” Barrett said.
