Thailand's occupational safety agency warns that climate change threatens workers' health and safety

China News Service, Bangkok, November 8 (Wang Qi, Li Yingmin) Namchai, director of Thailand's Institute for Occupational Safety, Occupational Health and Work Environment Promotion, said on the 8th that climate change has led to rising global temperatures and increasingly unstable weather conditions, posing risks to workers' health and occupational safety. Among them, outdoor workers and workers in high-risk environments face particularly prominent threats.

Namchai pointed out that the labor safety risks brought about by climate change mainly include six aspects: extreme high temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather, air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and other indirect health and safety risks. Sustained high temperatures may cause workers to suffer from heat stress, heat exhaustion and even heatstroke; long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays may damage skin and eye health. In terms of extreme weather, heavy rains, storms, floods and landslides may affect workplace and commuter road safety and increase the risk of work accidents. In terms of air pollution, PM2.5, PM10 and near-ground ozone may affect the respiratory health of workers. In addition, changes in temperature and rainfall may also create conditions for the spread of vector organisms and increase the risk of illness among workers.

Namchai also mentioned that climate change may affect the health of workers through indirect factors such as fatigue, mental stress, and lack of rest, reduce work efficiency, and increase the possibility of operational errors and accidents. Workers in construction, transportation, and agriculture are at higher risk, facing risks such as outdoor high temperatures, severe weather, reduced road visibility, and exposure to vector organisms respectively.

Thai Labor Minister Chulawon emphasized that monitoring and response preparation for the impact of climate change should be strengthened, the risk awareness of enterprises, employers and workers should be improved, and workers' health protection measures should be improved.

Namchai suggested that companies incorporate climate change risks into their occupational safety and health management systems and strengthen prevention by identifying potential hazards in the working environment, assessing risk levels, formulating protective measures and improving emergency plans. Specific measures include providing shade and rest areas, ensuring drinking water supplies, improving drainage systems, adjusting work hours to the weather, and providing appropriate personal protective equipment.