Protect workers from extreme heat or face fines, Japan tells firms
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Japan’s government moved to strengthen protections following last summer’s searing heat.
PHOTO: AFP
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TOKYO - Tougher rules being enforced in Japan will see employers get fined if they fail to take adequate precautions to protect workers from extreme temperatures.
The revised legislation, which came into effect on June 1, is a rare global example of a national-level policy on heat safety for employees, and comes after 30 workplace deaths and roughly 1,200 injuries in 2024 associated with high temperatures, according to Health Ministry data. Most of those affected worked in construction or manufacturing.
Japan’s government moved to strengthen protections following last summer’s searing heat – which included the highest July temperatures on record
Heatstroke is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by dangerously high body temperatures that can result in severe organ damage if not treated quickly. There were almost half a million heat-related deaths annually between 2000 and 2019, according to a report in 2024 by the World Health Organisation.
Along with public health impacts, higher temperatures can impact worker productivity and there is growing concern about the economic toll of heatwaves.
Global average temperatures exceeded 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in 2024, and new highs are forecast to be recorded over the next five years, according the World Meteorological Organisation.
Japan’s legislation requires employers to implement protocols to quickly spot and aid workers who show symptoms of heatstroke. Policies encourage companies to use a buddy system at worksites, distribute wearable devices to monitor staff, and provide emergency transportation to hospitals or clinics.
Employers are urged to monitor the wet bulb globe temperature index, a gauge of heat stress in direct sunlight that takes into account factors such as temperature and humidity. Specific measures are required for worksites where the index value exceeds 28 deg C, or an atmospheric temperature of 31 deg C for more than one hour, or for a total of four hours or more in a single day.
A worker performing moderate work intensity loses half of his work capacity at 33 deg C to 34 deg C, according to a 2019 study from the International Labour Organisation. The same report estimated the economic impact of heat stress to hit US$2.4 trillion (S$3.1 trillion) by 2030 if greenhouse gas emissions are not cut.
“We are working on measures such as taking breaks according to the heat index and measuring internal body temperature using wearable devices,” said a spokesperson for Shimizu Corp, one of the nation’s largest general contractors, which employs more than 20,000 people. The company said it is constantly updating its heatstroke policies.
Parcel delivery service Yamato Transport Company plans to distribute 75,000 fan-equipped vests to workers, including those who use carts and bicycles to drop off packages. It is also installing 3,000 wet bulb index measuring devices at business locations to better track working conditions. The measures are not in response to the new law, the company said.
California and Washington are among US states to have developed similar rules on worker protections, and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed setting a federal standard. Between 2011 and 2020 in the US, there were an average of 40 recorded fatalities a year related to environmental heat, according to the Department of Labour. BLOOMBERG
