{
  "id": 1012710,
  "title": "Extreme weather is making work difficult for many people. This is what needs to change",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/extreme-weather-is-making-work-difficult-for-many-people-this-is-what",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-15T10:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-extreme-weather-difficult-people.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent extreme weather events in the UK are causing difficulties for workers in various sectors, according to a survey of 1,288 employees. The Climate Change Committee has recently assessed the risks and mitigation needed for the changing weather, but the plight of workers has been largely overlooked. The UK has experienced several heat waves this summer, with high temperatures causing heat stress, heat rash, cramps, exhaustion, and heatstroke. However, workers are also affected by colder weather, including flooding, drought, storms, snow, ice, and air pollution-related conditions. The survey found that heat stress is now one of the leading causes of weather-related sick leave, with 40% of workers taking sick leave due to heat. Heat was reported as a factor in 40% of weather-related sick leave cases. The study found that 56% of workers across seven climate-exposed sectors reported being affected by extreme weather events at work in the past year, with agriculture, construction, education, emergency services, entertainment and sports, transport, and health and social care being the most affected. Four in ten workers reported negative well-being impacts due to drought, while 72% said they experienced negative effects from extreme heat events. Only 26% of employers have a climate adaptation or extreme-weather plan, and only 30% of workers reported receiving training on managing weather impacts at work. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to introduce a maximum workplace temperature of 24°C (75°F), as studies show public support for climate policies increases when extreme weather events and their costs are linked to climate change.",
  "summary": "The UK has experienced several heat waves this summer—heat stress among workers is one of the biggest causes of weather-related sick leave. Very high temperatures can cause symptoms like heat rash and cramps, or even exhaustion and heatstroke.",
  "key_points": [
    "Heat stress causes 40% of weather-related sick leave in UK",
    "56% of workers in seven climate-exposed sectors affected by extreme weather",
    "Only 30% of workers received training on managing weather impacts"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}