With this year's International Workers Memorial Day theme of Climate Change, it is the major issue for us all to concern ourselves with as being one of the biggest causes of deaths amongst workers across the World.
The CWU H&S Dept under Dave Joyce, always campaigned for workplace adjustments, both inside and outdoor; to protect workers from excessive heat and cold. Whilst legislation in the UK does NOT protect the workforce from being forced to work in excessive heat in the UK, the Union has campaigned for a maximum workplace temperature to be legislated for.
Now it is a fact that the UK Government and employers are not prepared for the extremes in temperatures which are going to become the norm in this country. Nor do they ape par concerned for the Health & Safety of workers and the prevention of workplace deaths that is going to occur as climate change extreme weather patterns continue to increase.
But their is more to deaths at work than temperature extremes.
On this Sunday's IWMD 2024, we need to examine the realities of workplaces in 2024 and beyond if we are to minimise the deaths at work which will be caused if we do nothing.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) which the UK is signed up to, has produced a new report this month entitled: Ensuring Safety and Health At Work In A Changing Climate, along with a short film which details all aspects of climate change which is leading to more and more deaths of workers as a result of their work and their employers who put profit before the health and wellbeing of their employees.
The report is available from the Unionsafety E-Library and by clicking on the image of the report cover above.
The ILO Report is detailed in this ILO Press Release, along with the video featuring Manal Azzi, ILO's Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Team Lead, below:
Climate change is already having serious impacts on the safety and health of workers in all regions of the world. Workers are among those most exposed to climate change hazards yet frequently have no choice but to continue working, even if conditions are dangerous. Global occupational safety and health (OSH) protections have struggled to keep up with the evolving risks from climate change, resulting in worker mortality and morbidity.
This report presents critical evidence related to the impacts of climate change on OSH, to bring attention to the global health threat workers are currently facing. The report addresses the following key issues:
- Excessive heat
- Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Extreme weather events
- Workplace air pollution
- Vector-borne diseases
- Agrochemicals
Source: ILO / Unionsafety / 28 April.org
