September 20, 2024 The Risk Your Business Can’t Afford to Ignore

With 2024 set to be the hottest year on record, rising temperatures pose a risk to your workers and your operations. Here’s how to prepare.

By Steven Levine, co-founder, Health Action Alliance

On the morning of her death, 51-year-old Wednesday “Wendy” Johnson texted her family to complain about the heat.

It was a 94-degree June day in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and it was even hotter in the back of the un-air-conditioned truck where Ms. Johnson, a United States Postal Service worker, was riding to help deliver packages.

She died soon after returning to the post office.

Ms. Johnson is one of hundreds of Americans to die from heat-related illness so far this year. Heat deaths have more than doubled since 1999, with over 2,300 recorded last year — the highest in 45 years. Experts believe that because of inconsistent data collection, the actual toll is likely much higher, closer to 11,000 deaths.

This year could be worse.

With 2024 on track to become Earth’s hottest year on record, we can’t afford to ignore this growing threat to human health — and to the health of our businesses.

Heat Threatens Worker Safety — and Business Health

Worker health has a direct impact on business performance. After all, over 80% of the value of S&P 500 companies is in human capital. So when it’s hot, worker health and business health suffer.

Exposure to high heat and humidity raises the risk for a host of health issues, including seizures, heart attack and stroke, kidney damage, rapid muscle breakdown, and long-term cognitive decline, not to mention complications from chronic cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.

Not only does extreme heat drive up health care costs, but it also leads to more missed workdays and lower productivity. Research shows that productivity drops by over 2% per degree Fahrenheit when temperatures rise above 80 degrees. That means a 25% decrease in productivity when the temperature hits 90 degrees; at 100 degrees, productivity plummets by 70%. When workers can only produce at a 30% level, the business benefits really come into question.

Worker safety also suffers when the mercury rises — especially in jobs that require mental concentration to stay safe. In manufacturing plants, for example, high temperatures result in a 10% increase in injuries.

The effects of heat are intensified by physically strenuous labor, protective gear or uniforms, inadequate cooling and ventilation, not enough water, extended heat exposure, and a lack of acclimatization. These factors further amplify risks for employees across a range of industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, construction, warehousing, transportation, shipping, and more.

The good news is that heat-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses, particularly at work, are preventable. And it’s up to business leaders to prevent them.

Leading Ahead of the Law

As temperatures become more extreme in our changing climate, the need for robust worker safety protocols — such as mandatory water, shade, rest, and air conditioning — becomes more urgent.

It’s time for business leaders to prioritize assessing the risks of extreme heat to their employees and implementing new standards to mitigate those risks.

This is a strategic and moral imperative that transcends our obligation to current heat safety regulations — which are limited and unevenly enforced.

Only five states in the U.S. have heat standards, and compliance issues remain.

At the federal level, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently proposed a rule that would require employers across a range of industries to develop heat safety plans that are triggered when employees are exposed to temperatures of 80 degrees or higher. A public comment period on the OSHA rule is underway, after which there will be a public hearing and more revisions. It could be months or even years before a federal heat standard is adopted.

But there’s no reason for business leaders to wait for a government rule — and in fact, there are compelling reasons to act now.

Beyond the urgent need to protect employees’ health and improve business performance and productivity, employers can benefit from lower health care costs, fewer worker’s compensation claims, higher employee morale, and a stronger reputation for being responsible and supportive.

Protect Workers and Build Resilience Now

This year, the Health Action Alliance, the country’s largest network of employers working to improve workforce health, convened the National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health, composed of prominent business leaders and public health and safety experts.

The commission aims to help employers recognize the growing threats our changing climate poses to both human health and business performance — and to help leaders build climate-resilient workforces.

As a first step, the commission strongly encourages companies to initiate a comprehensive assessment of their current heat-related risks and their state of preparedness.

In addition, the commission recommends that employers invest in training programs to educate workers and managers on the dangers of heat stress and practical steps to keep employees safe. Companies are also encouraged to explore new technologies, such as wearable heat sensors or innovative cooling gear, to better protect employees. 

Employers have an opportunity — and an obligation — to lead the way in establishing new cross-industry standards to protect workers and, ultimately, boost the bottom line.

For tools to help guide employers and support employees, visit the commission’s website at ClimateHealthCommision.org

About the Author:
Steven is a social impact entrepreneur and civic leader who is passionate about building a more just and equitable world. He is the co-founder of the impact agency Meteorite, which builds and leads mission-driven business coalitions. 

Among the coalitions Steven has led are the Health Action Alliance, a network of 10,000 employers committed to strengthening the health of their workers and communities, and the Civic Alliance, a coalition of 1300+ companies united by a commitment to a thriving democracy.

Before Meteorite, Steven led social impact initiatives at Univision and served as the White House Associate Director of Communications under President George W. Bush. Steven earned his MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.

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