IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i21p7004-d1271889.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impacts of Climate Change on Work Health and Safety in Australia: A Scoping Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Lucia Wuersch

    (School of Business, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW 2795, Australia)

  • Alain Neher

    (School of Business, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW 2795, Australia)

  • Frank E. Marino

    (Research Group for Human Adaptation, Exercise & Health, School of Allied Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia)

  • Larissa Bamberry

    (School of Business, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia)

  • Rodney Pope

    (School of Allied Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia)

Abstract

This scoping review explores the extant literature on climate change impacts on Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) in Australia. It maps the coverage of climate hazards, occupations at risk, and health and socio-economic impacts with the aim of identifying climate change impacts on WHS in Australia and associated knowledge gaps. We used a scoping review approach to identify and investigate 41 scholarly works at the nexus between climate change and WHS in Australia. Thematic template analysis and the NVivo software helped us identify and structure the main themes and systematically document the analysis process. The review highlighted a research focus on the impacts on WHS of heat and extreme weather events resulting from climate change. Agriculture and construction emerged as the most examined occupations, emphasising climate-related diseases and productivity loss. Other climate-related hazards, occupations, and health and socio-economic impacts were largely overlooked in the included research literature. The analysis revealed there is scope for further research relating to climate change impacts on occupational hazards (e.g., air pollution), occupations (e.g., indoor settings at risk), worker health (e.g., injuries), and socio-economic impacts (e.g., change in social practice). Furthermore, the results highlight that the main themes (hazards, occupations, health, and productivity) are interconnected, and the impacts of climate change can be ‘cascading’, adding complexity and severity. Hence, it is important to look at WHS as a multifaceted phenomenon in a holistic way to understand the risks and support required.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucia Wuersch & Alain Neher & Frank E. Marino & Larissa Bamberry & Rodney Pope, 2023. "Impacts of Climate Change on Work Health and Safety in Australia: A Scoping Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-35, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:21:p:7004-:d:1271889
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/21/7004/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/21/7004/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kerstin K. Zander & Supriya Mathew & Stephen T. Garnett, 2018. "Exploring Heat Stress Relief Measures among the Australian Labour Force," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Alana Hansen & Dino Pisaniello & Blesson Varghese & Shelley Rowett & Scott Hanson-Easey & Peng Bi & Monika Nitschke, 2018. "What Can We Learn about Workplace Heat Stress Management from a Safety Regulator Complaints Database?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-9, March.
    3. Ed Day & Sam Fankhauser & Nick Kingsmill & Hélia Costa & Anna Mavrogianni, 2019. "Upholding labour productivity under climate change: an assessment of adaptation options," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 367-385, March.
    4. Snyder, Hannah, 2019. "Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 333-339.
    5. Armand Landreau & Sirkku Juhola & Alexandra Jurgilevich & Aleksi Räsänen, 2021. "Combining socio-economic and climate projections to assess heat risk," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 1-20, July.
    6. Andrew P. Hunt & Matt Brearley & Andrew Hall & Rodney Pope, 2023. "Climate Change Effects on the Predicted Heat Strain and Labour Capacity of Outdoor Workers in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-12, April.
    7. Haruna M. Moda & Walter Leal Filho & Aprajita Minhas, 2019. "Impacts of Climate Change on Outdoor Workers and Their Safety: Some Research Priorities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-21, September.
    8. Kerstin K. Zander & Wouter J. W. Botzen & Elspeth Oppermann & Tord Kjellstrom & Stephen T. Garnett, 2015. "Heat stress causes substantial labour productivity loss in Australia," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(7), pages 647-651, July.
    9. Simon J. Evenett, 2022. "What Endgame for the Deglobalisation Narrative?," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 57(6), pages 345-351, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kerstin K. Zander & Jonas Rieskamp & Milad Mirbabaie & Mamoun Alazab & Duy Nguyen, 2023. "Responses to heat waves: what can Twitter data tell us?," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 116(3), pages 3547-3564, April.
    2. Andrew P. Hunt & Matt Brearley & Andrew Hall & Rodney Pope, 2023. "Climate Change Effects on the Predicted Heat Strain and Labour Capacity of Outdoor Workers in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-12, April.
    3. Nanda Kaji Budhathoki & Kerstin K. Zander, 2019. "Socio-Economic Impact of and Adaptation to Extreme Heat and Cold of Farmers in the Food Bowl of Nepal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-24, May.
    4. Yun Qiu & Jinhua Zhao, 2022. "Adaptation and the distributional effects of heat: Evidence from professional archery competitions," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 88(3), pages 1149-1177, January.
    5. Joaquín Bernal-Ramírez & Jair Ojeda-Joya & Camila Agudelo-Rivera & Felipe Clavijo-Ramírez & Carolina Durana-Ángel & Clark Granger-Castaño & Daniel Osorio-Rodríguez & Daniel Parra-Amado & José Pulido &, 2022. "Impacto macroeconómico del cambio climático en Colombia," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, issue 102, pages 1-62, July.
    6. Maryono, Maryono & Killoes, Aditya Marendra & Adhikari, Rajendra & Abdul Aziz, Ammar, 2024. "Agriculture development through multi-stakeholder partnerships in developing countries: A systematic literature review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    7. Ali Zackery & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah & Zahra Heidari Darani & Shiva Ghasemi, 2022. "COVID-19 Research in Business and Management: A Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    8. Eusebius Pantja Pramudya & Lukas Rumboko Wibowo & Fitri Nurfatriani & Iman Kasiman Nawireja & Dewi Ratna Kurniasari & Sakti Hutabarat & Yohanes Berenika Kadarusman & Ananda Oemi Iswardhani & Rukaiyah , 2022. "Incentives for Palm Oil Smallholders in Mandatory Certification in Indonesia," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-28, April.
    9. Peter Schnell & Phillip Haag & Hans Christian Jünger, 2022. "Implementation of Digital Technologies in Construction Companies: Establishing a Holistic Process which Addresses Current Barriers," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-18, December.
    10. Federica Alfani & Vasco Molini & Giacomo Pallante & Alessandro PalmaGran, 2024. "Job displacement and reallocation failure. Evidence from climate shocks in Morocco," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 51(1), pages 1-31.
    11. Chen, Yanyan & Mandler, Timo & Meyer-Waarden, Lars, 2021. "Three decades of research on loyalty programs: A literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 179-197.
    12. Fabio Magnacca & Riccardo Giannetti, 2024. "Management accounting and new product development: a systematic literature review and future research directions," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 651-685, June.
    13. Hongxia Jin & Lu Lu & Haojun Fan, 2022. "Global Trends and Research Hotspots in Long COVID: A Bibliometric Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-14, March.
    14. Prince Donkor Ameyaw & Walter Timo de Vries, 2020. "Transparency of Land Administration and the Role of Blockchain Technology, a Four-Dimensional Framework Analysis from the Ghanaian Land Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-25, December.
    15. Zhang, Shaohui & Guo, Qinxin & Smyth, Russell & Yao, Yao, 2022. "Extreme temperatures and residential electricity consumption: Evidence from Chinese households," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    16. Vicente Guerola-Navarro & Hermenegildo Gil-Gomez & Raul Oltra-Badenes & Pedro Soto-Acosta, 2024. "Customer relationship management and its impact on entrepreneurial marketing: a literature review," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 507-547, June.
    17. Ransi Salika Athauda & Shashini Jayakodi & Ashan Senel Asmone & Sheila Conejos, 2023. "Climate Change Impacts on Occupational Health and Safety of Façade Maintenance Workers: A Qualitative Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, May.
    18. Damette, Olivier & Mathonnat, Clément & Thavard, Julien, 2024. "Climate and sovereign risk: The Latin American experience with strong ENSO events," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    19. Amal Almansour & Reem Alotaibi & Hajar Alharbi, 2022. "Text-rating review discrepancy (TRRD): an integrative review and implications for research," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
    20. Švarc, Jadranka & Dabić, Marina, 2021. "Transformative innovation policy or how to escape peripheral policy paradox in European research peripheral countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:21:p:7004-:d:1271889. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.