Climate Change Hazards and Risks Track
Developed to educate and bring attention to numerous climate change hazards and risks
OEHS professionals now anticipate the potential risks and the occupational health and safety hazards associated with climate change. A Climate Change Hazards and Risks framework is broken into seven broad categories including:
- An increase in ambient temperature - heat stress
- Air pollution (ground-level ozone and pulmonary toxicants) - respiratory and cardiovascular disease
- Ultraviolet radiation - skin cancer, eye effects, immune dysfunction
- Extreme weather - traumatic injuries, acute death, mental stress
- Vector-borne disease and other biological hazards - infectious disease, dermatitis, allergies/asthma
- Industrial transitions, and emerging industries - new chemical hazards, musculoskeletal disorders, mental stress from job insecurity
- Changes in the built environment (energy-efficient tight buildings) - build-up of indoor radon and increased lung cancer risk, indoor air quality issues associated with off-gassing of building materials
