'Urgent action' needed to protect workers from heat stress in warming world, UN says

The health risks include heatstroke, dehydration, kidney dysfunction and neurological disorders, said the World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Association.

Governments and employers should take urgent action to help protect the health of workers who are increasingly exposed to extreme heat, the United Nations said on Friday.

Climate change is making heatwaves more common and intense, and workers worldwide are already experiencing the health impacts, the agencies said in what they described as a “much needed” major update of a report and guidance last published in 1969.