Our News

Introduction

 

Heatwaves have become India’s biggest cause of excess deaths, and the numbers will continue to grow each year because of climate change.

Three of the five warmest years in the country were recorded between 2015 and 2024 and heatwaves in the country are projected to happen 30 times more often by the end of the century. The rising temperatures and heat stress will claim tens of thousands more lives nationwide.

Why is heat stress so dangerous? There are a variety of risks to our health, says the World Health Organisation (WHO). Our bodies are less able to regulate internal temperature in such conditions, making us more susceptible to dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The strain on the body stresses the heart and kidneys and can worsen risks from chronic conditions (cardiovascular, mental, respiratory and diabetes-related conditions). Heat extremes also cause acute kidney injury and can be associated with hazardous air pollution events.

High temperatures are a killer, and among those groups most at risk in India are people at work. Outdoors, construction workers, street vendors, delivery drivers, agricultural labourers and sanitation workers are vulnerable. People working inside in poorly ventilated premises are also affected. Plants with furnaces, enclosed spaces, and greenhouses are hazardous in heat waves if the necessary ventilation and cooling devices are not installed. And consider the risks outside of working hours. It is common in India for migrant workers to reside in poor living conditions without metered electricity for air conditioning.

The risks of working in extreme heat

Across sectors and throughout India, people are losing their lives at work due to the primary effects of extreme heat on their bodies. But workers are also a high-risk group for another reason. The heat has an impact on their performance at work. Losing even a small amount of body fluid can impair performance, with symptoms including dizziness, fatigue and confusion. Dehydration not only affects our health but also our decision making, attention and motor skills. When workers suffer from heat stress they can lose focus, make mistakes and take shortcuts. Extreme heat compounds risk in in already hazardous work environments.

During work activities across India, particularly in those areas experiencing the highest temperatures, such as Rajasthan and Gujarat, we are seeing traditional workplace hazards exacerbated by climate change. But the country is responding to the challenge, and NEBOSH Alumni are among safety and health specialists at the forefront of efforts to reverse the trend of heat stress-related deaths at work.

Managing the risks of heat stress at work

Evidence tells us that a multi-agency approach, involving government and businesses, is called for to mitigate the risks. A ‘heat action plan’ pilot in Ahmedabad demonstrated that early warnings, targeted outreach and medical preparedness could be successful, with excess deaths reduced by more than a quarter there. Such plans are now being implemented in other parts of the country, including mandatory measures for employers.

Occupational heat stress is a compliance issue in many parts of India, but managing the risks is also a moral imperative for employers. Protecting people from the effects of extreme heat at work is simply the right thing to do. And we are now seeing safety and health professionals across India playing a central role in the drive to reduce heat-related illness and injury at work. Common themes emerge when we talk to industry professionals. They can be categorised as preparation, awareness, action and recovery.

1. Preparing for the heat

Planning ahead is essential, says Binayak Panda, Vice President - HSE & Sustainability at ABB’s process industries division. “In India, the critical heat season generally extends from March to June, although recent years have shown increasing variability, with heat conditions arriving earlier and lasting longer,” he says. “Successful heat stress management begins months before temperatures rise. Organisations should initiate heat preparedness planning in January, allowing sufficient time to assess risks, review workforce requirements and schedule critical activities.”

Mumbai-based Vicky Pagare, Deputy General Manager – Health, Safety, Environment & Social (HSES) at Vertis, oversees national highway assets across India. He considers heat stress a strategic risk, and it begins during due diligence when land is acquired. “One of the major checkpoints in this due diligence is climate change risk assessment,” he says. “Locations prone to heat are flagged before acquisition and a detailed mitigation plan is drawn up. That plan identifies who is exposed (primarily ground‑level workers and supervisors) and specifies controls, approvals and temperature thresholds.”

The leading safety and health professionals in India are proactively putting in place policies and processes to make sure workers are protected as temperatures rise.

2. A culture of awareness

Part of the planning is training and awareness for all workers, including contractors. This is an imperative, says Dr Pramod Pandey, a Global Health & Safety Engineering Leader at Phillips, which operates multiple healthcare, R&D and manufacturing facilities in Pune, western India. "Visual communication works best in the Indian context, such as posters in local languages, digital displays and supervisor-led briefings. Workers must recognise heat illness symptoms in themselves and their colleagues,” he says. “

A strong heat stress management program cannot succeed without visible leadership commitment, says Binayak. “Project leaders must actively promote heat awareness and ensure that protective measures are consistently implemented.

“Contractors should be held to the same welfare, medical and safety standards as the principal organisation. Encouraging workers to report symptoms early and fostering an environment where health concerns can be raised without hesitation are critical components of an effective heat management culture.”

Effectives communications and engagement are central to influencing attitudes and behaviours towards extreme heat at work in India.

3. Actions on the ground

Our leaders are putting in place a range of measures to mitigate the day-to-day risks of heat stress. “Heat stress management cannot be a seasonal checklist,” says Pramod. “It must be embedded into your safety management system through proper risk assessment, hierarchy of controls, and continual improvement.”

“Adjusting work schedules is often one of the most effective measures,” says Binayak. “Starting work earlier in the morning and utilising cooler evening periods can significantly reduce exposure to peak daytime temperatures.” Structured work-rest cycles are equally important. “Rather than allowing prolonged periods of continuous work, tasks should be divided into manageable durations with scheduled rest and cooling breaks,” he says.

And high-risk work zones such as roofing activities, welding operations, and areas exposed to radiant heat require additional precautions, says Binayak. These include localised cooling, shielding, enhanced supervision and stricter work-rest regimes.

Hydration is key, says Vicky. Practical measures include cool drinking‑water dispensers, shaded rest sheds, ORS (oral rehydration solution) and local buttermilk. “A useful beverage because it cools your body internally,” he says. PPE and uniforms have been adapted, says Vicky, with lighter fabrics encouraged, to preserve compliance and comfort. Implementation of measures on site is overseen by site safety managers, monitored via weekly calls, and reinforced through training modules, audits and safety visits.
A recurring theme is that many heat protections are simple, affordable and effective. Cold drinking water, shaded rest areas, hydration reminders and supervisor check-ins can help to save lives.

4. Ready for recovery

For all the planning and implementation, heat stress-related injuries and illness happen. Emergency plans are essential
Emergency care is assured with on‑site medics and trained supervisors able to respond to heat stroke, says Vicky. “Outsourced workers require constant monitoring and escalation, verbal warnings to suspension, because they are not readily convinced to follow our guidelines,” he says. “We should protect them.”

Binayak agrees that medical surveillance, particularly for vulnerable workers who may be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, is crucial. “Emergency response arrangements should be clearly defined, including escalation pathways, transportation arrangements, and access to medical facilities,” he says. “These provisions should be scaled according to workforce size and project complexity.”

Lessons we can learn from India

Global temperatures and the frequency and intensity of heatwaves will continue to rise in the 21st century because of climate change, says the World Health Organization (WHO).. Heat-related mortality has increased by 23% worldwide since the 1990s, with an average of around 546,000 deaths each year, and the upward trend is set to continue.

Due to a dangerous combination of its geographical location, climate change and rapid urbanisation, India is needing to respond now to the growing risks of heat stress, and its working population are among those most in danger. However, we see that safety and health leaders in the country, such as Vicky, Pramod and Binayak, are rising to the challenge. From business planning, including the acquisition of new locations, through to emergency response, we see careful, meticulous plans that are rigorously implemented. Multi-agency collaboration has been seen to work, and the safety profession in India is now taking a leading role.

“As we say in India, Aarogyam Paramam Bhagyam – health is the greatest wealth,” says Pramod. “My appeal to fellow safety professionals is simple: don't wait for regulations. Lead from the front. Treat every worker's wellbeing as your personal responsibility.”

*https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004364