Experts from across the world have come up with new guidance at the workplace and national levels to address the growing risk of weather-related hazards to employees across all sectors.
Government, employer, and worker experts gathered in Geneva last week to negotiate on measures that will strengthen national occupational safety and health (OSH) policies for workers exposed to extreme weather events and changing weather patterns.
The negotiations lasted for five days, with the experts agreeing to adopt the guidance on April 24, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Key measures to strengthen OSH policies at the workplace level include gender-responsive, documented risk assessments, and the determination of preventive and control measures; establishing, reviewing, and maintaining emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plans and procedures.
The measures also seek to ensure the consultation and participation of workers and their representatives in all OSH aspects related to extreme weather events and changing weather patterns.
At the national level, the key measures to improve the framework include gender-responsive, documented risk assessments, and the determination of preventive and control measures; establishing, reviewing, and maintaining emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plans and procedures, and ensuring the consultation and participation of workers and their representatives in all OSH aspects related to extreme weather events and changing weather patterns.
The adoption of these conclusions sends a clear signal that the world of work is taking OSH impacts of extreme weather seriously, said Joaquim Pintado Nunes, Branch Chief of the Occupational Safety and Health and Working Environment (OSHE) Branch,in a statement.
The next step is turning this guidance into action at the national and workplace level.
The conclusions will be submitted to the Governing Body in November 2026 for approval, according to the ILO.
Risk of weather-related hazards
The guidance comes amid the growing risk of weather-related hazards to the workforce.
A 2024 report from the ILO estimates that more than 2.4 billion workersare likely exposed to excessive heatat some point during their work.
It also found that excessive heat is already responsible for an estimated 22.85 million occupational injuries, 18,970 deaths, and 2.09 million disability-adjusted life years.
Meanwhile, separate data from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) revealed that there were 11,778 reported disasters attributed to weather extremes between 1970 and 2021.According to the WMO, the disasters resulted in over two million deaths and US$4.3 trillion in economic losses.
