Climate Change and Occupational Hazards: Protecting Worker Health and Safety

The field of occupational health and safety is facing unprecedented challenges in the context of accelerating climate change. As global temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the risks to both the physical and psychological health of workers are growing, especially among those whose jobs involve outdoor tasks or exposure to variable environmental conditions. Scientific evidence increasingly supports the view that heat stress, deteriorating air quality, shifting disease vectors, and resource scarcity are directly intensifying occupational hazards. Despite growing awareness, workplaces often lack the comprehensive risk assessments and adaptive safety measures needed to protect worker health effectively. There are ongoing debates about the best frameworks for identifying new risks, and a need for targeted research that bridges the gap between environmental science and occupational health practice.Recent studies point to a significant increase in heat-related illnesses, respiratory problems from worsened air quality, and disruptions to safe working conditions as a direct result of climate change. Occupational health surveillance is revealing patterns of heightened vulnerability among agricultural workers, construction workers, and others exposed to outdoor environments. While policy makers and organizations are beginning to adopt climate-adaptive strategies—such as heat mitigation protocols, improved hazard assessments, and new standards for personal protective equipment—there remains a lack of consolidated evidence on their effectiveness and best implementation practices. Moreover, many current workplaces risk management processes do not sufficiently incorporate climate projections or consider the cascading effects of environmental shifts on worker safety.This Research Topic aims to advance the understanding of how climate change is reshaping occupational health and safety risks, with a particular emphasis on identifying vulnerable worker populations, workplace hazards, and the effectiveness of tailored interventions. The objective is to gather evidence-based insights, innovative risk assessment approaches, and policy recommendations that will enable employers, occupational health professionals, and policy makers to better safeguard workers in the face of evolving environmental challenges. This Research Topic is limited to the interplay between climate change and occupational health and safety, covering both outdoor and indoor work environments, and focusing on risk characterization and management.This collection welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Occupational health impacts of climate change on workers.o Environmental factors driving new workplace hazards.o Assessment and monitoring of climate change-induced occupational risks.o Emerging risks and vulnerabilities in specific workforce groups.o Health and safety interventions for outdoor and high-risk workers.o Integration of climate projections into occupational safety protocols.o Policy initiatives and organizational strategies for climate-adaptive worker protection. Topic editors: Paul Monaghan, Susana Viegas, William Brett Perkison Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/75497/climate-change-and-occupational-hazards-protecting-worker-health-and-safety