Climate Change and its Impact on Labor Productivity

Source-This post on Climate Change and its Impact on Labor Productivity has been created based on the article “Analysing labour on a warming planet” published in “The Hindu” on 1 May 2024.

UPSC Syllabus–GS Paper-3– Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Context– The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) has recently released a report, ‘Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate’. The report highlights the need to ensure that labor becomes climate-proofed and to address the evolving work environment due to global warming.

What are the six key impacts of climate change on workers identified by the ILO?

The ILO identifies excessive heat, solar ultraviolet radiation, extreme weather events, workplace air pollution, vector-borne diseases, and agrochemicals as the key impacts of climate change on workers.

 What sectors are particularly affected by heat hazards according to the report?

1) Agriculture Sector– Globally, the informal farm labor sector is the most vulnerable to heat, especially in developing countries, where workers often lack adequate weather protection.

2) MSME sector– In India, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector employs about 21% of the total workforce, lacks proper oversight from State Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) departments due to its higher level of informalization. This leaves workers highly exposed to heat hazards.

3) Construction Sector-It employs 12% of India’s workforce. Construction workers deal with the urban heat island effect because construction is mostly concentrated in cities, where temperatures tend to be higher due to urbanization. Workers endure risks like physical injuries and health issues such as asthma due to air pollution, especially in highly polluted Indian cities.

4) Gig workers– Gig workers constitute around 1.5% of India’s total workforce, expected to rise to about 4.5% by 2030 according to Nasscom. They are also heat-susceptible.

Read more- Heat Action Plans

What are existing laws and regulations regarding workers’ safety?

India has more than 13 central laws regulating working conditions across sectors, including the Factories Act, 1948.These various laws have been consolidated into a single code that is Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH Code, 2020).

What are the shortcomings of these laws?

1) Concerns over new law implementation– Many unions are dissatisfied with the new code because as per them, it lowers safety and inspection standards. Further, the government hasn’t notified its enforcement. Because of this, unions and the courts still use the older laws to address issues and hold parties accountable.

2) Lack of Government Oversight for Unregistered MSMEs -Most of India’s 64 million MSMEs are not registered under this law, so they are not subject to government inspections.

3) Outdated Regulations– The rules under the Factories Act, framed decades ago, lack adequate provisions for thermal comfort based on the level of activity and do not mention air conditioning or other cooling alternatives.

4) Updating existing regulations– Regulations need updating to handle how effluents and byproducts are disposed of. This is because their effects on human health can change with temperature fluctuations.

5) Regulatory Gaps in Silica Exposure Management – The existing rule doesn’t mandate silica removal technologies in quarries or mines. This is deeply concerning in the backdrop of the rise in coal production and the expansion of mines that could lead to an increase in silicosis cases, a fatal and incurable pulmonary disease caused by fine particulate matter exposure.

6) Bypassing workers concern– Unions and workers face pressure from corporate management and state bureaucracy, who prioritize attracting industries over addressing worker concerns related to heat hazards.

Way forward– A universally recognized regulatory framework is required to ensure that work and workers are resilient to climate changes. This is because the connection between labor productivity, human health, and climate change is often overlooked.

Question for practice

Highlight the sectors that are particularly affected by heat hazards according to the report?  What are existing laws and regulations regarding workers’ safety?