The Economics of Weather
Heatwaves and Work
How extreme heat reduces productivity, especially for outdoor workers, research on heat and factory output in India, and heat action plans.
Heat reduces how much people can work.
Outdoor workers
Construction, farm and delivery workers lose hours and income on very hot days.
Factories
Research on Indian garment and other factories found output falls on hot days, and LED lighting that reduced heat helped.
Health
Heatstroke and dehydration can kill.
Heat action plans
Ahmedabad launched India’s first Heat Action Plan in 2013 after a deadly 2010 heatwave, with warnings, cooling centres and shifted work hours.
Adaptation
- Shifting work to cooler hours.
- Shade, water and rest breaks.
- Cool roofs.
Global estimates
The ILO estimates heat stress will cost large amounts of working hours, especially in South Asia.
A construction site pauses work from noon to 3 pm during a heatwave, resuming in the evening.
It cuts output and income.
- Heat cuts work hours and output.
- Outdoor workers are most affected.
- Ahmedabad started a Heat Action Plan in 2013.
- Shifting hours and shade help.
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