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The Growing Threat of Heat Stress in the Workplace
Articles- Jul 28,25
Extreme heat puts millions of workers at serious risk globally. Suresh Tanwar, Senior Head of Audit and Consultancy, British Safety Council, India, highlights the growing threat of heat stress in the workplace in India, where workers face extreme heat conditions with limited protection.
As global temperatures continue to rise, the extreme heat puts millions of workers at serious risk. Across the world, workers are exposed to high heat conditions and often have no choice but to keep working despite the danger. In India, the situation is especially dire. Most industrial workplaces regularly reach temperatures of 40°C to 45°C, yet there are no clear or enforceable national standards for regulating workplace heat. Unfortunately, nearly 75 per cent of the Indian workforce—around 380 million people—rely on jobs that expose them to high heat conditions.
In 2024, India endured one of its most prolonged and intense summers, with temperatures soaring past 50°C (122°F) in several regions. 2025 continues to be the same, with the World Bank estimating that India is set to become one of the first regions where heat waves could surpass the threshold of human survivability.
Understanding heat stress and its impact
Heat stress can be defined as the sum of environmental and metabolic heat loads, which increases an individual's core body temperature (CBT) that may potentially cause physiological decrements.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) warns that globally, over 70 per cent of workers are at risk of heat stress due to exposure to excessive heat. In addition to immediate health risks like heat fatigue, heatstroke, cardiovascular issues, and electrolyte imbalances, workers may also suffer from long-term injuries that affect their health for years.
The same ILO report also says that almost 26.2 million people worldwide are living with chronic kidney disease caused by heat stress at work, accounting for about 3 per cent of all chronic kidney disease cases. Excessive heat can also lead to mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue, which can increase the likelihood of workplace accidents.
Meanwhile, ILO’s latest report, Heat at Work: Implications for Safety and Health: A Global Review of the Science, Policy, and Practice, shows that workplace exposure to excessive heat is particularly high in Africa (92.9 per cent), the Arab States (83.6 per cent), and Asia and the Pacific (74.7 per cent). The report also says that Africa and the Americas have the highest proportions of occupational injuries linked to excessive heat, with 7.2 per cent and 6.7 per cent of all occupational injuries, respectively.
Although heat-related regulations exist worldwide, current legislation often remains too general to address the growing risks effectively. India’s labour laws currently have no specific provisions to protect workers from extreme heat. However, in recent years, many other countries have started updating their regulations and introducing new laws in response to these threats and the latest scientific findings.
As the Heat at Work report outlines, the ILO’s analysis of legislation from 21 countries identifies standard provisions in national Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) responses. These include participatory risk assessments that address excessive heat, targeted strategies for high-risk workers, use of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) as a heat stress indicator, hydration strategies, rest and modified schedules to limit heat exposure, cool rest areas, heat acclimatisation measures, appropriate personal protective equipment, education and awareness initiatives, and regular health monitoring.
Addressing heat stress in the workplace
Here are some key recommendations the ILO report mentions for action to be taken by countries:
- To begin with, prevention and control strategies for heat stress in the workplace must be strengthened to address the complexities of modern heat challenges. Excessive heat is a severe issue affecting workers, public health, and the environment. Climate change and heat-related initiatives must include occupational safety and health (OSH) to coordinate a response. Addressing workplace heat stress effectively will require governments, businesses, labour groups, global organizations, OSH networks, and non-profits to exchange expertise, resources, and proven strategies.
- To enhance responses and prevent overlapping efforts, it is necessary to ensure alignment between the Ministries of Labour, Health, Environment, and Climate on issues related to heat stress.
Most heat-related exposures and injuries occur not just during heat waves, so it is essential to implement preventive measures whenever heat risks are present, rather than only during extreme weather events.
A people-centered, rights-based approach is key, ensuring workers’ fundamental right to a safe and healthy workplace. This includes the right to be informed about safety risks and to remove themselves from hazardous conditions without fear of retaliation. Tailored strategies will be necessary for different indoor and outdoor sectors to protect workers, particularly those in vulnerable roles like garment factory employees or those in agriculture and construction.
Affordable and practical solutions must be designed and prioritized, especially for informal work settings and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Thankfully, many protective measures are both cost-effective and straightforward. Ensuring proper hydration, providing rest breaks in cool, shaded spaces, adjusting work hours, and implementing heat acclimatisation programs can significantly lower risks without incurring high costs.
Strengthening OSH measures to tackle excessive heat is crucial for worker safety and offers a compelling financial incentive. ILO estimates that adopting heat-related injury prevention strategies could save more than US$361 billion worldwide.
Participation in safety dialogues at all levels is important
OSH management systems must incorporate measures to prevent and control heat stress, with workplace assessments that actively involve workers. Social dialogue should be the foundation of all actions to combat excessive heat. Engaging stakeholders at all levels, with meaningful participation from workers and their representatives, is key to creating and implementing effective heat stress policies since workers can offer invaluable insights into the daily risks they face.
As the risk to worker safety from heat escalates, prioritizing focused research and enhancing global understanding to drive coordinated, evidence-driven actions is critical.
A unified effort is needed to tackle this pressing issue for workers, communities, and the environment so everyone can access the fundamental right to a safe and healthy workplace.
About the author:
Suresh Tanwar is the Senior Head of Audit and Consultancy at British Safety Council, India. He is a seasoned safety professional and strategist with decades of experience in Safety, Health, and Environment (SH&E). An active member of the CII National Safety Task Force Committee since its inception, Tanwar has played a significant role in shaping safety policies and best practices. Before joining British Safety Council, India, he served as Chief - Group Safety & Health for the Tata Group of Companies.
Heat Stress
Workplace Safety
Suresh Tanwar
Occupational Health
Extreme Heat Conditions
Heat-Related Injuries
ILO Recommendations
Climate Change Impact
Worker Protection Laws
British Safety Council
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