Climate Change and Workers’ Health and Safety: An Umbrella Review
Keywords:
Occupational health, Occupational safety, Workers’ exposure, Outdoor workers, Heat stress, Heat-Related Illness, Preventive strategiesAbstract
Background: This umbrella review synthesizes current evidence on the health and safety impacts of climate change among workers. In particular, it aims to identify the main workers’ categories at the highest risk, the main health and safety outcomes, methodological limitations, and future directions reported in the literature, as well as preventive strategies described in recent reviews.
Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Systematic and scoping reviews addressing climate-related occupational health and safety outcomes were included. Study selection and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the ROBIS tool, and findings were synthesized in accordance with PRISMA and PRIOR guidelines.
Results: Most of the available evidence concerns outdoor occupations, particularly agriculture and construction, where exposure to high temperatures is associated with increased risks of injuries and heat strain. Emerging data also highlight links with mental health, renal disease, and chronic conditions. However, the literature remains fragmented, with few meta-analyses and substantial heterogeneity. Preventive strategies have been proposed, but their implementation remains inconsistent.
Conclusions: Evidence confirms that climate change has become a determinant of occupational health and safety. Future research should strengthen methodological coherence, adopt longitudinal approaches, and address vulnerable populations.
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