Adaptation to climate variability and change from a public health perspective

Ebi, Kristie L.; Smith, Joel B.; Burton, Ian; Hitz, Samuel

doi:10.1201/b17008-2

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…For example, people of Muslim origin are at greater heat-related health risk during the Ramadan period [69,70]. On the other hand, a natural reaction to heat of a worker is to reduce their physical activity, that is a self-pacing or autonomous adaptation which reduces the body’s internal heat production but also the hourly work capacity [71,72,73].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Occupational Heat–Health Warning System for Europe: The HEAT-SHIELD Platform

Morabito

Messeri

Noti

et al. 2019

IJERPH

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Existing heat–health warning systems focus on warning vulnerable groups in order to reduce mortality. However, human health and performance are affected at much lower environmental heat strain levels than those directly associated with higher mortality. Moreover, workers are at elevated health risks when exposed to prolonged heat. This study describes the multilingual “HEAT-SHIELD occupational warning system” platform (https://heatshield.zonalab.it/) operating for Europe and developed within the framework of the HEAT-SHIELD project. This system is based on probabilistic medium-range forecasts calibrated on approximately 1800 meteorological stations in Europe and provides the ensemble forecast of the daily maximum heat stress. The platform provides a non-customized output represented by a map showing the weekly maximum probability of exceeding a specific heat stress condition, for each of the four upcoming weeks. Customized output allows the forecast of the personalized local heat-stress-risk based on workers’ physical, clothing and behavioral characteristics and the work environment (outdoors in the sun or shade), also taking into account heat acclimatization. Personal daily heat stress risk levels and behavioral suggestions (hydration and work breaks recommended) to be taken into consideration in the short term (5 days) are provided together with long-term heat risk forecasts (up to 46 days), all which are useful for planning work activities. The HEAT-SHIELD platform provides adaptation strategies for “managing” the impact of global warming.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Occupational Heat–Health Warning System for Europe: The HEAT-SHIELD Platform

Morabito

Messeri

Noti

et al. 2019

IJERPH

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“…The slowing down of work as a defence mechanism during severe heat exposure is labelled ‘autonomous adaptation’ by climate change researchers (30). Productivity has also been analysed for indoor climates in relation to air conditioning needs (6).…”

Section: Impacts Of Workplace Heat Exposure On Worker Productivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Workplace heat stress, health and productivity – an increasing challenge for low and middle-income countries during climate change

Kjellström

Holmér

Lemke

2009

Global Health Action

559

391

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BackgroundGlobal climate change is already increasing the average temperature and direct heat exposure in many places around the world.ObjectivesTo assess the potential impact on occupational health and work capacity for people exposed at work to increasing heat due to climate change.DesignA brief review of basic thermal physiology mechanisms, occupational heat exposure guidelines and heat exposure changes in selected cities.ResultsIn countries with very hot seasons, workers are already affected by working environments hotter than that with which human physiological mechanisms can cope. To protect workers from excessive heat, a number of heat exposure indices have been developed. One that is commonly used in occupational health is the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). We use WBGT to illustrate assessing the proportion of a working hour during which a worker can sustain work and the proportion of that same working hour that (s)he needs to rest to cool the body down and maintain core body temperature below 38°C. Using this proportion a ‘work capacity’ estimate was calculated for selected heat exposure levels and work intensity levels. The work capacity rapidly reduces as the WBGT exceeds 26–30°C and this can be used to estimate the impact of increasing heat exposure as a result of climate change in tropical countries.ConclusionsOne result of climate change is a reduced work capacity in heat-exposed jobs and greater difficulty in achieving economic and social development in the countries affected by this somewhat neglected impact of climate change.

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“…This preventive reaction leads to reduced work capacity during exposure to heat (13, 16). Thus, the impact of increasing heat exposure on work capacity is a result of the natural preventive actions of working people to reduce heat stroke risk by slowing down work (‘autonomous adaptation to climate change’, (19)). The degree of reduced work capacity in relation to heat exposure (as measured by the heat index WBGT) is shown schematically in Fig.…”

Section: Background: Key Issues Concerning Workplace Heat Health Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ‘Hothaps’ programme for assessing climate change impacts on occupational health and productivity: an invitation to carry out field studies

Kjellström

Gabrysch

Lemke

et al. 2009

Global Health Action

112

106

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The ‘high occupational temperature health and productivity suppression’ programme (Hothaps) is a multi-centre health research and prevention programme aimed at quantifying the extent to which working people are affected by, or adapt to, heat exposure while working, and how global heating during climate change may increase such effects. The programme will produce essential new evidence for local, national and global assessment of negative impacts of climate change that have largely been overlooked. It will also identify and evaluate preventive interventions in different social and economic settings.Hothaps includes studies in any part of the world where hourly heat exposure exceeds physiological stress limits that may affect workers. This usually happens at temperatures above 25°C, depending on humidity, wind movement and heat radiation. Working people in low and middle-income tropical countries are particularly vulnerable, because many of them are involved in heavy physical work, either outdoors in strong sunlight or indoors without effective cooling. If high work intensity is maintained in workplaces with high heat exposure, serious health effects can occur, including heat stroke and death.Depending on the type of occupation, the required work intensity, and the level of heat stress, working people have to slow down their work in order to reduce internal body heat production and the risk of heat stroke. Thus, unless preventive interventions are used to reduce the heat stress on workers, their individual health and productivity will be affected and economic output per work hour will be reduced. Heat also influences other daily physical activities, unrelated to work, in all age groups. Poorer people without access to household or workplace cooling devices are most likely to be affected.The Hothaps programme includes a pilot study, heat monitoring of selected workplaces, qualitative studies of perceived heat impacts and preventative interventions, quantitative studies of impacts on health and productivity, and assessments of local impacts of climate change taking into account different applications of preventative interventions.Fundraising for the global programme is in progress and has enabled local field studies to start in 2009. Local funding support is also of great value and is being sought by several interested scientific partners. The Hothaps team welcomes independent use of the study protocols, but would be grateful for information about any planned, ongoing or completed studies of this type. Coordinated implementation of the protocols in multi-centre studies is also welcome. Eventually, the results of the Hothaps field studies will be used in global assessments of climate change-induced heat exposure increase in workplaces and its impacts on occupational health and productivity. These results will also be of value for the next assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2013.

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Adaptation to climate variability and change from a public health perspective

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

An Occupational Heat–Health Warning System for Europe: The HEAT-SHIELD Platform

An Occupational Heat–Health Warning System for Europe: The HEAT-SHIELD Platform

Workplace heat stress, health and productivity – an increasing challenge for low and middle-income countries during climate change

The ‘Hothaps’ programme for assessing climate change impacts on occupational health and productivity: an invitation to carry out field studies

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