By Healthesystems
For workers across many industries, climate change, and especially extreme heat, continue to pose risks. In fact, 2024 was the warmest year on record, according to NASA.
We’ve delved into the issue of climate change in our RxInformer magazine and several times in this blog. Since the last time we reported in February 2025, we have seen several newsworthy items related to how climate change impacts workers – particularly those on the front lines.
Ocean Workers Recognized as an Impacted Group
Ocean workers are now being recognized as one of the occupations most at risk for climate change. A Lloyd’s Register Foundation report published in October 2025 finds that 17% of ocean workers identify climate change as the greatest personal safety risk they face – which is almost triple the response of other workers. Plus, 33% of ocean workers report having experienced serious harm from severe weather in the last two years, compared to 20% of other workers.
Construction Workers Continue to Be at Risk
In August 2025, the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) published a data bulletin underscoring the frequency of heat illnesses and injuries among construction workers. Using information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the report states that while construction workers make up only 7% of the workforce, they account for more than one-third of occupational heat-related deaths in the U.S. Even more troubling, the CPWR also states that heat-related injuries (HRI) are likely higher than estimates claim, due to the underreporting/undercounting of HRIs.
Heat Standards Are Making a Difference
In 2005, California became the first state to pass a heat exposure standard, which requires employers to provide shade, water, training, and planning. Now, the Workers Compensation Research Institute has published evidence that the standard is making a positive impact.
According to a September 2025 WCRI report, California’s heat standard has resulted in a decline in the number of work-related injuries on hot days. Specifically, injuries have declined by 15-17% in the construction industry, 19-25% in transportation, and 24-27% in agriculture. What’s more, the heat standard has had a greater impact on younger workers, with the decrease in frequency of work-related injuries on hot days for workers 35 and under being 18% in the construction industry and 27% in agriculture.
At least five other states have also passed heat safety standards, and a national heat standard is still in the works. An informal public hearing on that standard concluded in July, while the post-hearing comment period ended on Oct. 30, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates!
