Climate CHIP Publications

Climate conditions, workplace heat and occupational health in South-East Asia in the context of climate change

Authors: 
Kjellstrom T, Lemke B, Otto M
Year: 
2017

Occupational health is particularly affected by high heat exposures in workplaces, which will be an increasing problem as climate change progresses. People working in jobs of moderate or heavy work intensity in hot environments are at particular risk, owing to exposure to high environmental heat and internal heat production. This heat needs to be released to protect health, and such release is difficult or impossible at high temperatures and high air humidity. A range of clinical health effects can occur, and the heat-related physical

Extreme Heat and Migration

Authors: 
Mariam Traore Chazalnoël, Eva Mach, Dina Ionesco, Tord Kjellstrom, Bruno Lemke, Matthias Otto, David Briggs, Kerstin Zander, James Goodman, Lucy Fiske
Year: 
2017

The impacts of climate change on global temperatures profoundly affect people’s ability to sustain their livelihoods as well as their health; both of these dimensions in turn influence the migration of people. Indeed, increasing heat related to climate change is likely to result in more disruptive events, such as frequent droughts, wildfires, episodes of extreme temperatures and heat waves. Such events are already directly and indirectly displacing large numbers of people each year and likely to lead to the migration of more people in the future.

Time-motion analysis as a novel approach for evaluating the impact of environmental heat exposure on labor loss in agriculture workers

Authors: 
Ioannou LG, Tsoutsoubi L, Samoutis G, Kajfez Bogataj L, Kenny GP, Nybo L, Kjellstrom T, Flouris AD
Year: 
2017

Introduction: In this study we (i) introduced time-motion analysis for assessing the impact of workplace heat on the work shift time spent doing labor (WTL) of grape-picking workers, (ii) examined whether seasonal environmental differences can influence their WTL, and (iii) investigated whether their WTL can be assessed by monitoring productivity or the vineyard manager's estimate of WTL. Methods: Seven grape-picking workers were assessed during the summer and/or autumn via video throughout four work shifts.

Global heating: Attention is not enough; We need acute and appropriate actions.

Authors: 
Nybo L, Kjellstrom T, Kajfez Bogataj L, Flouris AD
Year: 
2017

Introducing HEAT-SHIELD ambitions for inter-sectoral collaboration to tackle temperature issues related to workplace heat “Welcome to the world of Temperature!” With these words the present journal was launched as a publication with special focus on temperature issues and their essential importance for life.1 Romanovsky AA. New research journals are needed and can compete with titans. Temperature. 2014;1(1):1-5. doi:10.4161/temp.27666.

The last Summer Olympics? Climate change, health, and work outdoors

Authors: 
Kirk R Smith, Alistair Woodward, Bruno Lemke, Matthias Otto, Cindy J Chang, Anna A Mance, John Balmes, Tord Kjellstrom
Year: 
2016

Climate change threatens human health in many ways, through heat waves, extreme weather events, and shifts in disease vectors, as well as economic and social stresses on populations living in or trying to escape areas affected by seawater intrusion, drought, lower agricultural productivity, and floods. 1 In the short term, most of these impacts could be substantially ameliorated by actions to reduce background disease risks and other known causes of vulnerability.

Heat, Human Performance, and Occupational Health: A Key Issue for the Assessment of Global Climate Change Impacts

Authors: 
Tord Kjellstrom, David Briggs, Chris Freyberg, Bruno Lemke, Matthias Otto, Olivia Hyatt
Year: 
2016

Ambient heat exposure is a well-known health hazard, which reduces human performance and work capacity at heat levels already common in tropical and subtropical areas. Various health problems have been reported. Increasing heat exposure during the hottest seasons of each year is a key feature of global climate change. Heat exhaustion and reduced human performance are often overlooked in climate change health impact analysis. Later this century, many among the four billion people who live in hot areas worldwide will experience significantly reduced work capacity owing to climate change. In

Climate Change and Labour: Impacts of Heat in the Workplace

Authors: 
Matthew McKinnon, Elise Buckle, Kamal Gueye, Isaiah Toroitich, Dina Ionesca, Eva Mach, Marina Maiero. TECHNICAL AUTHORS: Tord Kjellstrom, Matthias Otto, Bruno Lemke, Olivia Hyatt, Dave Briggs, Chris Freyberg, Lauren Lines
Year: 
2016

Developed in collaboration with the ILO, the International Organization for Migration, UNI Global Union, the International Trade Union Confederation, the International Organization of Employers, and ACT Alliance, and together with the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the support of the the World Health Organisation, this report looks at the impact of rising temperatures due to climate change on the workforce.

The social implications of occupational heat stress on migrant workers engaged in public construction: a case study from southern India

Authors: 
Venugopal V, Chinnadurai A, Lucas R, Vishwanathan V, Rajiva A, Kjellstrom T
Year: 
2016

Health deterioration due to multiple exposures to hazards is not uncommon among construction workers. Migrant workers contribute a lion’s share (~79%) to public construction in India and about two-thirds of the migrant workforce lives in temporary habitats with minimal basic amenities. The implications of occupational heat stress on the health and social lives of the migrant workers engaged in construction of public metro railway was explored. One hundred and forty-two migrant workers were engaged in the study after obtaining informed consent.

Climate change and Labour: impacts of heat in the workplace

Authors: 
Kjellstrom T, Otto M, Lemke B, Hyatt O, Briggs D, Freyberg C, Lines L
Year: 
2016

Developed in collaboration with the ILO, the International Organization for Migration, UNI Global Union, the International Trade Union Confederation, the International Organization of Employers, and ACT Alliance, and together with the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the support of the the World Health Organisation, this report looks at the impact of rising temperatures due to climate change on the workforce.