Ss20-01 Climate Change and Its Impacts on the Safety and Health of the Global Workforce: An Ilo Perspective

Abstract Introduction A total of 1.2 billion jobs or 40% of the global labour force are at risk because of environmental degradation. The effects are particularly acute for the most vulnerable workers. Recent International Labour Organization (ILO) research shows that between 2000 and 2015, an estimated 23 million working-life years were lost annually as a result of different environment-related disasters caused or exacerbated by human activity. Climate change is impacting the health and safety of workers in various ways. Heat stress increases risks of dehydration and heat stroke. Warmer temperatures can increase the geographic spread of agricultural pests and disease vectors e.g. mosquitoes and ticks. Increased rainfalls create more breeding areas for many vectors and cause natural disasters e.g. floods and landslides. Many of these impacts threaten equally business assets and interrupt business operations. Materials and Methods Description of the ILO means, tools and activities on protection of workers against risks due to climate change. Results The ILO adopts a new global strategy on occupational safety and health (OSH) and calls on social partners to, e.g.: conduct assessments of OSH risks resulting from climate change; improve, develop and create awareness of OSH standards for technologies; promote international labour standards on OSH; implement effective interventions to address traditional and emerging global OSH challenges, among others. Conclusion The ILO mobilizes key stakeholders to promote the ratification and application of international labour standards on OSH and to implement effective interventions at all levels to address traditional and emerging global OSH challenges including those brought about by climate change.