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Heat and worker health

Author

Listed:
  • Ireland, Andrew
  • Johnston, David
  • Knott, Rachel

Abstract

Extreme heat negatively impacts cognition, learning, and task performance. With increasing global temperatures, workers may therefore be at increased risk of work-related injuries and illness. This study estimates the effects of temperature on worker health using records spanning 1985–2020 from an Australian mandatory insurance scheme. High temperatures are found to cause significantly more claims, particularly among manual workers in outdoor-based industries. These adverse effects have not diminished across time, with the largest effect observed for the 2015–2020 period, indicating increasing vulnerability to heat. Within occupations, the workers most adversely affected by heat are female, older-aged and higher-earning. Finally, results from firm-level panel analyses show that the percentage increase in claims on hot days is largest at "safer" firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Ireland, Andrew & Johnston, David & Knott, Rachel, 2023. "Heat and worker health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:91:y:2023:i:c:s0167629623000772
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102800
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wooldridge, Jeffrey M., 1999. "Distribution-free estimation of some nonlinear panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 77-97, May.
    2. Thomas Longden, 2018. "Measuring temperature-related mortality using endogenously determined thresholds," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 343-375, October.
    3. Marcus Dillender, 2021. "Climate Change and Occupational Health: Are There Limits to Our Ability to Adapt?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 56(1), pages 184-224.
    4. Conley, T. G., 1999. "GMM estimation with cross sectional dependence," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 1-45, September.
    5. R. Jisung Park, 2022. "Hot Temperature and High-Stakes Performance," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 57(2), pages 400-434.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Picchio, Matteo & van Ours, Jan C., 2024. "The impact of high temperatures on performance in work-related activities," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Matteo Picchio & Jan C. van Ours, 2024. "High temperatures and workplace injuries," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 24-057/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    3. Mario Lackner & Hendrik Sonnabend, 2024. "When performance melts away: Heat causes mental errors in high-stakes competitions," Economics working papers 2024-11, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    4. Bressler, R. Daniel & Papp, Anna & Sarmiento, Luis & Shrader, Jeffrey G. & Wilson, Andrew J., 2025. "Working Under the Sun: The Role of Occupation in Temperature-Related Mortality in Mexico," IZA Discussion Papers 17759, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Andrew Ireland & David Johnston & Rachel Knott, 2024. "Impacts of Extreme Heat on Labor Force Dynamics," Papers 2024-01, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University.
    6. Filomena, Mattia & Picchio, Matteo, 2024. "Unsafe temperatures, unsafe jobs: The impact of weather conditions on work-related injuries," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 851-875.
    7. Halkos, George E & Aslanidis, Panagiotis-Stavros & Landis, Conrad & Papadaki, Lydia & Koundouri, Phoebe, 2024. "A review on primary and cascading hazards by exploring individuals’ willingness-to-pay for urban sustainability policies," MPRA Paper 122262, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Molitor, David & White, Corey, 2024. "Do cities mitigate or exacerbate environmental damages to health?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    9. Drescher, Katharina & Janzen, Benedikt, 2025. "When weather wounds workers: The impact of temperature on workplace accidents," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    10. Yu Zhang & Yuta Uchiyama & Masayuki Sato, 2025. "Combined effects of urban blue–green spaces on the thermal environment: a case study of Kobe, Japan," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 59-88, February.
    11. Edoardo Santoni & Margherita Scarlato & Nicolò Barbieri & Caterina Conigliani, 2025. "Heat and work-related injuries: How temperature measurement affects outcomes," SEEDS Working Papers 0225, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised Mar 2025.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Temperature; Occupational health & safety; Labor; Adaptation; Climate change;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General

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