A new report by the International Labour Organization says more than 70% of the global workforce is likely to be exposed to climate-change-related health hazards.

Existing occupational safety and health protections are struggling to keep up with the resulting risks.

The ILO estimates that more than 2.4B workers are likely to be exposed to excessive heat at some point during their work, according to the most recent figures available which was 2020.

The report estimates that 18,970 lives and 2.09M disability-adjusted life years are lost annually due to the 22.87M occupational injuries, which are attributable to excessive heat.

More than 26M million people worldwide living with chronic kidney disease linked to workplace heat stress.

However, the impact of climate change on workers goes well beyond exposure to excessive heat, creating a “cocktail of hazards” which result in a range of dangerous health conditions.

Health conditions include cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, kidney disfunction and mental health conditions.

Organization.