Escalating environmental summer heat exposure—a future threat for the European workforce

• DOI: 10.1007/s10113-020-01625-6
• Publication Date: 2020-03-23T08:02:28Z
• Authors: Ana Casanueva; Sven Kotlarski; Andreas M. Fischer; Andreas D. Flouris; Tord Kjellstrom; Bruno Lemke; Lars Nybo; Cornelia Schwierz; Mark A. Liniger
• Keywords: Wet-bulb globe temperature

Abstract Heat exposure constitutes a major threat for European workers, with significant impacts on the workers’ health and productivity. Climate projections over next decades show continuous accelerated warming Europe together longer, more intense frequent heatwaves regional local scales. In this work, we assess increased risk in future occupational heat stress levels using wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), an index adopted by International Standards Organization as regulatory to measure of working people. Our results that, large parts Europe, will indeed exceed critical physically active humans far often than today’s climate, labour productivity might be largely reduced southern Europe. industries should adapt projected changes prevent consequences preserve economic