Health Impact of the 2006 Summer Heat Wave in the Workplace: Results of a Questionnaire Survey Conducted by Occupational Health Services

Following the 2003 heat wave, the Occupational Health Inspectorate and the InVS organized a real-time collection of heat-related health incidents in the workplace in 2006. This collection of health events is carried out by occupational physicians through the regional Mirtmo offices. The questionnaire gathered information on the worker’s occupational characteristics, the nature of the incident (symptoms, severity), the working conditions on that day, and the aftermath of the event. The InVS Occupational Health Department was responsible for analyzing these reports. In total, 230 incidents were reported across 15 regions by 102 physicians representing 88 occupational health services. The majority of incidents did not result in lost workdays. Regarding fatal accidents, the occupational physicians’ reporting system was supplemented by the InVS heatwave alert system. Together, the two systems recorded 14 deaths, including 5 temporary workers and 5 from the construction sector. These two sectors are well known for their high risk of serious and fatal workplace accidents. In conclusion, the information collected by occupational physicians, although not representative and clearly unable to be considered a reflection of the full impact of the 2006 summer heat on workers’ health, made it possible to characterize several heat-related fatal workplace accidents and helped foster a culture of reporting among occupational physicians. (R.A.)

Author(s): Buisson C

Publishing year: 2009

Pages: 20 p.

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