‘Stop work’ temperature triggers have emerged as a prominent trade union demand to alleviate the risks of higher temperatures on workers. In a new report prepared for the Climate, Society and Environment Research Centre (CSERC) UTS and the Too Hot To Work project, Helena Bjorkli-Rerceretnam explores this question in the context of rising levels of extreme heat and heat-stress for workers Spain and China.
The report concludes:
As global temperatures soar as a result of global warming, a renewed conflict between the economic prosperities of employers and the safety of workers exposed to severe heatwaves is in the wings. Extreme heat and rising temperatures pose as a threat to WHS, with dominant social policy frameworks privileging economic growth, profitability, and labour productivity. However, economic gain should not come at the expense of the health and safety of workers. Rather, the responsibility should fall on government to legislate for the protection of workers and legislate for restrictions on big business, and to promote free trade union activity to represent workers’ needs. There is no doubt that capitalism, WHS, and climate change are interconnected. As new legislation emerges from various corners of the globe, a push for legally binding legislation which is free of ambiguity and loopholes is needed to efficiently safeguard workers’ rights and safety from the harsh nature of our rapidly intensifying climate.
Helena worked at C-SERC from August to November this year, and this report was conducted as part of her capstone professional placement subject. Helena is in the final year of her studies at UTS, completing a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Communications (Social and Political Sciences). Alongside her studies, Helena works at LegalAid NSW within the Civil Division as part of the Respect at Work Legal Services team.
Download the report to read more: Temperature Triggers: A comparative study of work health and safety regulations for outdoor workers in Spain and China.
Image of workers in Hong Kong from South China Morning Post