TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - Heat-related illness among workers in British Columbia, Canada: extreme hot weather in 2021 compared to 2001-2020
JO  - Scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
A1  - Guo, Xiaocong
A1  - Weinberger, Kate R.
A1  - Tamburic, Lillian
A1  - Peters, Cheryl E.
A1  - McLeod, Christopher B.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVES: British Columbia (BC), Canada, experienced an unprecedented summer with record-breaking high temperatures in 2021. Yet the health impact has not been examined in occupational settings. This study aimed to characterize occupational heat-related illness (HRI) among BC workers estimated by incidence rates and associations between heatwaves and HRI, compare risks from 2021 and prior summers of 2001-2020, and assess differential impacts on worker groups by demographics and occupations. <br><br>METHODS: We identified HRI from workers' compensation claims that occurred between June and August from 2001-2021 in BC. Incidence rates were calculated using working population estimates from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey. A time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional Poisson regression was used to examine the impact of heatwaves on occupational HRI. All analyses were stratified by year (2021 versus 2001-2020), age, sex, and occupation. <br><br>RESULTS: Of the 521 claims identified, 107 (21%) occurred in 2021. Incidence rates for 2021 and prior summers were 3.97 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.26-4.80] and 0.93 (95% CI 0.85-1.03) claims per 100 000 workers, respectively. This difference represents a 327% increase. Rates were higher in health occupations in 2021 versus 2001-2020. During 2001-2021, the risk of HRI during heatwave days was 4.33 (95% CI 2.98-6.27) times that during non-heatwave days, and the risk was higher among middle-aged workers and workers in trades, transport, and equipment operations. The 2021 heatwaves had greater impact on younger and female workers than those from prior summers. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Heat is a crucial workplace hazard. Prevention strategies should prioritize at-risk workers and not be limited to heatwaves.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0355-3140
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4179
ID  - ref1
ER  -