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When weather wounds workers: The impact of temperature on workplace accidents

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  • Drescher, Katharina
  • Janzen, Benedikt

Abstract

We study the effects of temperature on occupational health using administrative data on Swiss occupational accidents from 1996 to 2019. Our results imply that on hot days (Tmax≥ 30 °C) the number of occupational accidents increases by 7.4% and on ice days (Tmax< 0 °C) by 6.3%, relative to mild days. We find that extreme temperatures cause an average of 2600 workplace accidents each year, costing CHF 91 million annually. We provide suggestive evidence for insufficient sleep on hot days as a mechanism. While extreme temperatures worsen occupational health, we observe limited labor supply adaption for most workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Drescher, Katharina & Janzen, Benedikt, 2025. "When weather wounds workers: The impact of temperature on workplace accidents," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:241:y:2025:i:c:s0047272724001944
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105258
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    Cited by:

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    2. Giulia Valenti & Francesco Vona, 2024. "Hot Wages: How Do Heat Waves Change the Earnings Distribution?," Working Papers 2024.31, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    3. Giovanni Marin & Aung Tun Oo, 2025. "Sectoral exposure to heat: heterogeneous impacts of extreme heat on workplace accidents in Italy," SEEDS Working Papers 1325, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised 2025.
    4. Klauber, Hannah & Koch, Nicolas & Pestel, Nico, 2025. "The Immediate and Lasting Effects of Heat Waves On Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 18176, IZA Network @ LISER.
    5. Belloc, Ignacio & Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto, 2025. "Extreme temperatures: Gender differences in well-being," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    6. F. Angei, 2025. "Silent alarms: workplace injuries under-reporting in Italy," Working Paper CRENoS 202503, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.
    7. Albanese, Andrea & Deschenes, Olivier & Gathmann, Christina & Nieto, Adrian, 2025. "Extreme Temperatures, Health and Retirement," Working Papers 2025:8, Lund University, Department of Economics, revised 28 Oct 2025.
    8. Hou, Zaikun & Chen, Huan & Zhang, Ning, 2025. "Devil particles: Air pollution and safety liability accidents," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    9. Giulia Montresor & Catia Nicodemo & Cristina Bellés Obrero, 2025. "When Policy Meets Weather: Extreme Temperatures and Workplace Safety," Working Papers 1519, Barcelona School of Economics.
    10. Palma, Alessandro & Depalo, Domenico & Curci, Gabriele, 2025. "Air pollution and workplace accidents: Evidence and implications," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    11. Feng, Hao & Liang, Jie & Yan, Zhen, 2025. "Meteorological disasters and labor allocation in rural China: A gendered perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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