ArticleScientific reports2026
Quantifying the impact of heat stress on labour productivity in outdoor workplaces in Southern India amid a changing climate.
Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Due to climate change, heat waves are projected to become more frequent and severe in regions like the tropics. In developing nations like India, where manual outdoor work is common, workers are susceptible to heat stress. Seasonal effects on productivity however, are understudied. This research measures productivity loss (PL) due to heat for informal outdoor labourers in southern India. The study employed a mixed-methods approach to assess seasonal Wet Bulb Globe temperature (WBGT) exposures across 11 districts in Tamil Nadu (TN). Data were collected from 1560 outdoor workers through structured surveys. Statistical analysis incorporated both descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models. Results demonstrate that WBGT measurements exceeded the critical threshold of 30 °C. Analysis of worker perception data revealed significant association between elevated WBGT exposure and a 1.4-fold increased risk of PL (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.1–1.8). High workload and seasonal variation emerged as strong predictors of productivity decrements (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–2.1). The results demonstrate severe productivity and economic losses associated with high WBGT levels affecting livelihoods and the regional economy. This underscores the pressing need for mitigatory climate measures and specific interventions to safeguard vulnerable informal workers in the tropics.
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