The Intersection of Worker Safety and Climate Justice

Authors: Princess, Victoria, and Zaafia

According to the United Nations (UN), Climate Change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts have led to events such as drought, hurricanes, flooding, and extreme heat temperatures, resulting in an ongoing crisis with detrimental impacts on communities. Climate change does not just alter the environmental and physical aspects of the planet but is also linked to adverse health, economic, and social impacts on humanity worldwide, including within the working environment. Climate disasters and weather events continue to pose a major challenge to the safety and livelihoods of workers, facing the risk of navigating hazardous settings for their survival.

The prevalence of climate risks is evident on a global scale, with heightened effects in the Global South. The Caribbean region in particular, stands out as the region most susceptible to the impacts of climate change such as increasing sea levels, rising temperatures in both the atmosphere and ocean surfaces, and increased occurrences of flooding and droughts from reduced precipitation.  The effects of sea level rise (SLR) vary across the region, with Suriname, Guyana, Belize, and the Bahamas expected to face the most significant impacts. Temperature patterns in the Caribbean have closely aligned with global warming trends, with forecasts suggesting an annual average temperature increase from 1.1°C to 6.4°C by the year 2100. Likewise, Sea Surface Temperatures (SST) in the region have also exhibited substantial rises, particularly over the past two decades. During this period, the Caribbean Basin has experienced increases in SST ranging from 0.2°C to 0.5°C per decade, with the most pronounced changes observed in the Windward Islands, including Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and St. Lucia. ore, climate change is expected to heighten the occurrence of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, as well as increase the intensity of hurricanes, particularly those reaching Category 4 and 5 levels.

Climate Change Effects on Labor and The Worker

Amidst the climate predictions, observations, and many experiences, how do these realities reflect the unsafe conditions faced by workers? Whilst contemplating the intersection of worker safety and climate justice, it becomes clearer that the relationship is far more complex and multifaceted than some may believe. Climate change undoubtedly affects workers but there persists the challenge of creating a linkage between the two – worker safety and climate justice. Worker safety is a crucial focal point yet has been treated as an afterthought in various spaces. As there remains an existing drive for labor channels and profit, connecting climate change to the ways that labor and worker safety are impacted does not receive sufficient attention. As shared in a report by The Impact of Climate Change on Work, “Labor represents a possible key channel through which climate change affects economic performance and poverty. Reviewing the most rigorous existing evidence, we distinguish five potential areas for the impact of climate change on labor: labor demand, labor supply and time allocation, on-the-job productivity, and income and vulnerability among the self-employed.” 

Workers in both indoor and outdoor settings can be exposed to climate effects and deterrents due to climate change. In hot indoor settings or settings with inadequate ventilation or air condition systems such as manufacturing plants and warehouses, workers face the risks of heat-related illnesses and fatigue. What’s also more likely is the rate of emerging mold, bacteria, and pests in indoor spaces from external humidity and moisture, resulting in the risks of respiratory effects and asthma. In outdoor settings, workers are also at risk of heat-related illnesses due to exposure to extreme heat temperatures and heat waves. There’s also the risk of insects or pests particularly for agriculture workers due to warmer temperatures and increased rainfall. Even in spaces where there is a shift to sustainable products, climate change remains a concern. 

For example, the production and disposal of solar panels can be lethal to workers; the amount of waste from photovoltaic panels is estimated by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to have been around 250,000 tonnes in 2016. From 2022 to 2030, the global market for solar energy systems is expected to grow by 15.7% annually, which leads to a potential waste volume of 78 million tonnes. Solar panel components may include lead, cadmium, and other toxic substances that could endanger workers during manufacture, dismantling, disposal, or recycling. Rainwater or other extreme weather events like hurricanes, hailstorms, earthquakes, or other natural disasters may wash away additional dangerous materials, such as cadmium, from the panels, which would not only damage the local environment and biodiversity but also endanger the workers processing the waste.

What is also to be considered is that climate risks are heightened due to the intersecting factors of identity, accessibility to resources, and the type of job one is engaged in. For example, gender disparities greatly impact women’s accessibility to resources, protection, and fair wages. These are factors that create increased vulnerability to climate risks as women who work in very hazardous environments do not have the necessary measures and resources to be protected. One example of how this disparity intersects with occupational climate risks is through inequitable land rights and accessibility for women, such as for agricultural workers. As shared by Global Citizen, “Globally, women make up 43% of the agricultural workforce, but they tend to have less access to land, credit, technical advice, and quality seeds, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).” It has been reported that a vast number of women globally are denied land and property rights, which for women who work in agriculture, revokes them of ownership of their resources and thereby limits opportunities for access to funding for climate adaptation measures. 

Prioritizing Worker Safety from Climate Risks

As work practices continue to pose major effects on human life, biodiversity, and the environment, are existing policies adequately addressing these issues, or do gaps persist between policy formulation and implementation? Moreover, are workers actively being allowed to be included in these crucial conversations about their safety and well-being in the face of climate-related challenges? Climate Justice must be implemented to ensure that equity and human rights are central to all decision-making processes and actions in addressing climate change. It is a crucial aspect of establishing a just transition towards a more sustainable future and significantly reducing harmful practices that disregard the safety of workers, communities, and the environment for financial profit. Employees, in particular, should be actively engaged in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, as such involvement is not only advantageous for tackling the challenges presented by climate change but also vital for enhancing workplace safety, fostering innovation, promoting equity, and strengthening economic and social resilience.

Working toward a gender-responsive and inclusive approach for the protection of workers against climate hazards can take many forms. For example, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) initiated a program on Occupational Safety and Health and Environment in the Caribbean.  The program's objectives are to uphold the environmental sustainability of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and assist governments, employers, and labor unions in their endeavors to enhance occupational safety and health at the local, state, and federal levels. On an international scale,   nations such as Uruguay, Australia, and Qatar have taken action to protect worker safety in the face of climate change, where these programs demonstrate international efforts to maintain safe working conditions despite climate change. 

As countries continue to experience challenges and detrimental risks amid a climate crisis, accounting for work practices that worsen climate effects and increase worker risks must be considered. Engaging and actively participating in awareness campaigns and in policy development processes aimed at mainstreaming occupational safety and health considerations into climate-related structural adjustment policies is one way that workers can be included in these discussions and training. Workers must also have access to training sessions and skill-building programs aimed at improving their knowledge and handling of climate hazards, and they can participate in the creation of policies that incorporate adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change. They should be included and represented in discussions and social dialogue which allows them to express their demands, thoughts, and concerns about existing climate risks and procedures to mitigate them. Employers, governments, and other relevant stakeholders are expected to cooperate with workers to identify current barriers, partake in labour inspections and compliance monitoring programs, and put effective preventive measures in place to promote a safe and inclusive work environment.