Summary of Key Points
This article focuses on the issue of protecting workers in the context of increasingly frequent extreme heat. As global warming continues, extreme heat has shifted from a rare event to a common risk, posing threats not only to outdoor manual laborers but also to white-collar workers who can suffer from hidden health issues such as "cold heatstroke." The current protection system, which primarily relies on heat allowances, faces challenges such as vague standards, incomplete coverage, and difficulties in enforcement. There are many successful practices both domestically and internationally (for example, mandatory rest regulations in the United States, local job scheduling systems in China, and intelligent dispatching by companies). The article concludes by suggesting the need for a climate-resilient labor protection framework that combines government guidance, corporate initiative, technological advancements, and social participation to balance workers' rights with economic development.
The Threat of Extreme Heat to Workers: More Hidden and Widespread than You Think
Many people believe that high temperatures only affect outdoor workers, but this is not the case:
- Visible Hazards: Heatstroke has become a common illness during hot seasons. In June 2025, 372 cases were reported nationwide, with a mortality rate of 56.7%—more than half of the patients died. For instance, one hospital in Henan received five severe heatstroke patients in a single day.
- Hidden Hazards: Prolonged exposure to high temperatures increases the risk of chronic kidney disease (as confirmed by studies on sugarcane workers in Central America) and can also lead to cognitive decline, poor sleep, and irritability, gradually damaging workers' health and reducing productivity.
- White-collar Workers Are Not Immune: Frequent switching between air-conditioned environments and hot outdoor conditions can cause "cold heatstroke," which results from irregular blood vessel contraction and dilation, leading to arrhythmias and cerebrovascular diseases. The increase in summer cardiovascular emergencies is evidence of this.
- Special Groups Are Particularly Vulnerable: Delivery workers and couriers are under pressure to accept orders (or risk losing income); pregnant women and temporary workers have little protection, as do night runners and outdoor duty personnel.
Why Is the Current Heat Protection System Ineffective? Three Major Challenges
China enacted the "Measures for Preventing Heatstroke and Cooling Measures" in 2012, but it no longer meets the needs of extreme heat:
- Vague and Outdated Standards: Definitions for "open-air work" are unclear, allowing many companies to exempt their factories and warehouses from regulations. The allowance standards have remained unchanged for years, amounting to only 10-15 yuan per day, which is insufficient even for buying electrolyte water, let alone providing nutrition or covering medical expenses.
- Incomplete Coverage: Workers in platforms (such as delivery services), temporary workers without contracts, and employees of small businesses are poorly protected. For example, the sudden deaths of delivery workers in various cities in 2025 were due to a lack of safety measures.
- Difficult Enforcement: There are too few labor inspectors (each responsible for overseeing over 200 companies, compared to the international standard of 50 per company), and fines are too low (up to 10,000 yuan), making it cheaper for companies to violate the rules. Workers also face difficulties in providing evidence and fear retaliation such as termination or account suspension.
Smart Practices from Home and Abroad That Can Be Emulated
- International Examples:
- California, USA: Companies are required to provide water, rest, and shade when temperatures reach 35°C, with mandatory breaks every hour.
- Australian mining industries use sensors to monitor temperatures and workers' health, optimizing shift schedules to avoid peak heat periods.
- India offers "climate insurance" for informal female workers, automatically paying out compensation when temperatures exceed certain thresholds without the need for complex applications.
- Domestic Examples:
- Local policies in Shanxi limit work based on temperature levels (work stops at 40°C, and hours are restricted between 37-40°C).
- Dengzhou, Henan, combines policy enforcement with care and support to ensure that heat allowances are properly distributed.
- Companies like SF Express and Meituan use AI for intelligent scheduling and provide cooling helmets and liquid-cooled vests for delivery workers.
- Urban management systems in Hangzhou use satellite data and wearable devices to alert construction workers and delivery workers of heat risks in real time. Shanghai uses blockchain technology to automatically distribute subsidies to flexible workers within two hours of a red heat warning.
How to Build a Climate-Resilient Protection System
A climate-resilient system is one that can flexibly respond to extreme heat without causing problems. This requires the joint efforts of four parties:
- Government: Adjust allowances dynamically based on temperature, prices, and medical costs, and establish special funds for flexible workers. Integrate meteorological, health, and labor data for intelligent risk monitoring.
- Companies: Take responsibility by adopting flexible work schedules (e.g., starting work earlier and ending later), incorporating weather data into algorithms to avoid heat-related deliveries, and using new technologies to improve working conditions (such as smart cooling systems).
- Technology: Utilize the Internet of Things for real-time monitoring of workers' temperatures and heart rates, and use AI to automatically recommend rest or provide assistance when risks are high.
- Society: Change attitudes towards hard work and promote knowledge about heat protection. Unions and communities should provide shade areas for outdoor workers, and families should remind each other about heat safety.
Only by working together can we protect workers' health while ensuring the sustainable development of businesses, achieving a balance between people and the economy.