2.4 Billion People Exposed To Extreme Heat
There are about 8.2 billion people in the world. According to the UN, 2.4 billion people are exposed to extreme heat, which can be deadly. The UN report, which contains the data, is titled “Climate change and workforce heat stress.”
Extreme heat stress affects 2.4 billion people. Approximately 22.85 million occupational injuries occur each year. The fatalities are in the thousands, but are hard to eliminate. Many of these people are in mining and construction. Heat stroke and heart damage are among the most prevalent injuries. These can begin when the temperature is as low as 77°F and rise sharply with each degree increase.
The primary summary of the study is “During work in hot conditions, the primary challenge is to provide enough blood flow to support both the muscles (for the metabolic processes involved in physical work) and skin circulation (for dissipating the heat generated in the muscles) as well as to ensure perfusion of essential internal organs and the brain.”
No Surprises
Nothing in the study should be taken as a surprise. A large number of research papers have been published on the impact of heat on individuals working in environments with consistently high temperatures. What is unusual is that the paper shows the damage to people starts at a relatively low level, 77 degrees.
In America, many of the largest cities by population have multiple days when temperatures are above 100 degrees F. In many places around the world, such as India, temperatures at these levels can persist for weeks.
Additionally, based on most research, the heat problem is expected to worsen.
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