Exposure to extreme heat and cold is costing Australian workers and employers an estimated 94 million Australian dollars (60.6 million U.S. dollars) each year, new research by three Australian universities said on Tuesday.
The study analyzed over 2.3 million workplace injury claims from 2005 to 2018 across all Australian state capital cities, excluding Canberra, according to researchers from Charles Darwin University (CDU), the University of Adelaide and Monash University.
Researchers linked the data with daily maximum wet bulb globe temperatures, a key measure of heat stress in sunlight.
They found that 1.66 percent of all occupational injuries and illnesses, nearly 39,000 cases, were linked to heat exposure, said a press release from the CDU.
Extreme temperatures are one of the most serious health threats posed by climate change, said the study’s lead author, Matthew Borg from the University of Adelaide.
Under a high-emissions scenario, heat-related injuries are projected to rise more than 25 percent by 2050, according to a study published in Urban Climate Volume 59, a scientific journal owned by the Dutch academic publishing company Elsevier.
Common risk factors included unsuitable clothing, intense physical work in extreme conditions, and limited access to cooling, said Borg, urging employers to adopt heat safety strategies such as scheduled work-rest cycles, hydration, cooling stations, and proper attire.
He also called for smarter urban planning to reduce heat exposure, including greener city spaces, better building design, and infrastructure that supports walking, cycling, and electric vehicles. Endite
*This article is republished from Xinhua News. Copyright remains with the original author. Please notify us of any alleged infringement for prompt removal.The views expressed are those of the original author and do not necessarily reflect ours, nor do we guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. Anyone re-using this article must keep the above source attribution and bears full legal responsibility.
