Presentation of an Operational Program to Reduce vulnerability of outdoor workers to to heat stress and climate change

Background: Outdoor workers are vulnerable to heat stress and climate change due to their occupational and environmental conditions. Short-term exposure to extreme heat (acute exposure) can lead to rise the core body temperature, which it may directly cause heat related illnesses such as mild rash, cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It is reported that long-term chronic exposure to heat leads to chronic kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health problems. The vulnerability consists of three components including sensitivity, exposure, and adaptability. According to the third assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), the defiition of vulnerability is the degree to which a system or an individual is sensitive to, or unable to adapt to the adverse effects of Heat Stress and Climate Changes. Sensitivity is the physical capacity of workers to be affected by a hazardous agent like the heat. Sensitive is an intrinsic and internal factor that indicates how the person is vulnerable to heat stress. Individual risk factors in heat stress may decrease the individual’s tolerance to heat stress. The ability of system to cope with climate changes and adapt to extreme heat to reduce the risks and consequences resulted from these conditions is called adaptive capacity. Adaptation leads to reducing the vulnerability and increasing heat tolerance. Adaptive capacity is definedas“Theabilityof asystemtoadjusttoclimatechange, to moderate potential damages, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with the consequences”. Therefore, it should be necessary to reduce the level of vulnerability through providing the control programs and strategies. Since there are no national laws, regulations, guidelines to protect outdoor workers against heat stress in the country, only the relevant policy in this area is the permissible occupational exposure limit. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a comprehensive operational program to reduce the vulnerability of outdoor workers to heat stress and climate change. The results of this study can be very effective in decision making of the macro-management as well as planning of control measures in the country. Also, the program presented in this study can be helpful for organizations in charge of health and safety such as the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare (which are responsible for maintaining, protecting an