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The Daily
Lives, Livelihoods, and the High Cost of Heat
Aug 10, 2023
Coral Davenport, an energy and environmental policy correspondent for The New York Times, and Dana Smith, a health and science reporter for the same publication, tackle the staggering impacts of recent heat waves. They discuss how extreme heat is crippling worker productivity, costing the U.S. economy billions annually. The pair highlights the lack of federal regulations to protect workers and sheds light on physical responses to heat, underlining the urgency of adopting effective cooling methods as the climate crisis intensifies.
35:24
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Quick takeaways
- Extreme heat is causing significant economic losses, with a projected cost of $500 billion per year by the middle of the century.
- Extreme heat poses serious health risks to workers, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, requiring immediate cooling measures to prevent organ failure and save lives.
Deep dives
The Economic Cost of Extreme Heat on Indoor Workers
Extreme heat is not only affecting outdoor workers but also having a significant impact on indoor workers in the United States. The economic cost of heat is causing a loss of about two and a half billion work hours per year, translating to around $100 billion in economic loss annually. This cost is projected to increase to $500 billion per year by the middle of the century. Heat reduces worker productivity, with a 25% drop in productivity at 90 degrees and a 70% drop at temperatures above 100 degrees. Indoor workers in non-air-conditioned factories are particularly affected, as factories were built in a time when extreme heat was not as common. The economic burden falls on employers who face reduced hours, higher workers' compensation costs, and potentially lower worker retention rates.
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