As part of our ongoing interview series with members of the National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health, we spoke with Commissioner Dr. Lisa Patel, Executive Director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. Below, she discusses the growing health risks of extreme heat, the critical role of employers in protecting workers, and offers strategies for both workers and businesses to address heat-related health issues.

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Why is extreme heat becoming a more serious health issue?

This summer, we’re seeing heat waves that are starting earlier in the year and lasting for longer periods of time. Most people don’t realize our internal body temperatures can rise higher than the outside temperature. We are particularly vulnerable to negative health consequences in the spring and early summer when our bodies aren’t fully adapted to higher temperatures. Just a few degrees difference can be clinically relevant. I’m seeing more youth — particularly athletes and individuals who work outdoors — admitted to the hospital for dehydration, heat stroke, and even kidney damage.

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What are the implications for health risk on the job?

Outdoor workers are most at risk, having a 35 times higher risk of dying from extreme heat compared to the general population. Delivery drivers are increasingly at risk as well. Just a five-degree difference in outside temperature — from 80 to 85-degrees — can cause the interior of a vehicle to reach dangerously hot levels. And there have been many documented cases of workers in unconditioned warehouses and manufacturing facilities dying from heat stroke. But heat events also drive worse mental health conditions, impacting our productivity and mood, which affects all of us whether we work outside or inside.

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How should employees advocate for themselves if they feel at risk at work?

Employees are often constrained in advocating for themselves for a variety of reasons — they could fear losing their jobs, fear getting reported to immigration officials, or other concerns. So individual employee advocacy can only go so far; employers themselves really need to take ownership and responsibility. While many companies are starting to put heat policies in place, many others have not. Employees need to insist on basic protections. This should include having access to places to cool down — either shade or an air-conditioned space. They also should have regular water breaks and be able to stay hydrated. And, during periods of extreme heat, they should advocate to shift working hours to avoid the worst heat of the day.

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What recommendations do you have for employers?

The issue of extreme heat has become a public health crisis that no one company can solve alone. First, I would encourage business to work collaboratively to collect real-world data on the extent of the problem and better understand what interventions actually work. That’s one of the reasons we formed the National Commission on Climate and Workforce Health. Second, we need to work with OSHA and other federal agencies to develop consistent heat standards that both protect employees and that don’t put undue constraints on employers. Taking action is not only the right thing to do to protect employee health, but it will also benefit business productivity and performance.

‍Dr. Lisa Patel is a pediatrician and an environmental scientist with expertise in managing the health impacts of climate change and extreme heat.

She received a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and a master's in Environmental Sciences from Yale University. Recognizing the vital connection between children's health and environmental health, she went on to earn a doctorate in medicine from Johns Hopkins University, completing her residency in pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF).  

Dr. Patel has used her extensive experience working with government agencies, community organizations, and nonprofits to advocate for children's health priorities.