Climate Change and Workers’ Compensation

When people think about climate change, they usually do not think about the workplace and how workers are being impacted. However, the unfortunate reality is that climate change and extreme weather conditions can affect every aspect of our lives, including our workplaces.

As the planet continues to become warmer, more extreme weather events are occurring, people are developing new and difficult-to-treat diseases, and outdoor workers are unable to withstand the high temperatures long enough to complete their job-related tasks. Due to this, more workers’ compensation claims are being filed, which is a trend that is expected to continue growing.

How is climate change leading to more extreme weather events and disasters?

Climate change causes more extreme weather events and disasters to occur. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, the United States has experienced close to 400 weather and climate disasters over the last four decades, which accumulated to about $2.77 trillion in costs. In 2024 alone, there have been 19 weather and climate disasters so far, which have cost the country over $1 billion. These events include severe storms, wildfires, cyclones, and serious winter storms.

While these numbers may be shocking, they are only becoming worse year after year. The annual average for extreme weather events across America between 1980 and 2023 is 8.5 events, but for the last five years (2019 to 2023), the annual average for extreme weather events has increased to 20.4 events.

After looking at this data, you might wonder how climate change can affect weather and cause these drastic weather events and disasters. National Geographic explains that the global temperature and precipitation patterns change due to the “emission of greenhouse gasses from human activities,” and “these effects, in turn, influence the intensity and, in some cases, the frequency of extreme environmental events, such as forest fires, hurricanes, heat waves, floods, droughts, and storms.”

How is climate change affecting outdoor workers?

Climate change is severely affecting outdoor workers. As outside temperatures continue to increase, many workers are fainting, becoming sick, and even dying. The RxInformer clinical journal states that outdoor workers are at risk of experiencing heat illnesses, respiratory problems, and physical and mental health issues when exposed to long periods of extreme heat, which can result in serious injuries or even death. There are currently over 65 million workers across the country, including in Chattanooga, who are in danger of being injured or killed by climate change effects. Some of the most common workers at risk include:

• Construction workers
• Agriculture and forest workers
• Farmers
• Transportation workers
• Manufacturing workers
• Warehouse workers
• Paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs)
• Firefighters
• Police officers
• Park rangers
• Environmental workers
• Landscapers and building contractors
• Letter carriers
• Geologists and zoologists

When these outdoor workers spend a lot of time in high temperatures, they become prone to suffering heat strokes, heat exhaustion, asthma, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and death. The body usually has a difficult time cooling down and reaching normal temperature levels again, which can lead to long-term and permanent consequences for the rest of their lives.

How is climate change causing new cases of difficult-to-treat diseases?

Climate change also subjects workers to new cases of difficult-to-treat diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that noncommunicable diseases, also referred to as chronic diseases, kill around 41 million people every year, and some of these diseases are linked to climate change. Climate change leads to new cases of difficult-to-treat diseases because “it threatens the essential ingredients of good health – clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter.” Here are some of the causes of diseases that medical professionals, scientists, and researchers are seeing increase due to climate change:

• Heat waves: Severe heat is leading to cardiovascular disease, strokes, extreme fatigue, West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, Zika Virus, and Dengue Fever.
• Wildfires: Massive fires cause serious injuries and conditions, including burns, electrical injuries, fatigue, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, and mental illnesses.
• Air pollution: Pollution is a contributing factor in heart disease, asthma, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Floods: Flooding is connected to mental illnesses, food-related illnesses, and malnutrition.
• Droughts: Low rainfall can cause malnutrition, psychosocial stress, food-related illnesses, and mental illnesses.

Are employees protected from the harsh impacts of climate change?

There are currently no federal laws in the United States to protect workers from the harsh impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat. However, in July 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a law that would require all employers to develop plans to protect their workers from heat-related injuries and fatalities. The assistant secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Doug Parker, expressed that this law would be a step in the right direction as “workers all over the country are passing out, suffering heat stroke and dying from heat exposure from just doing their jobs, and something must be done to protect them.”

While Tennessee also does not have any laws in place to protect workers from the harsh impacts of climate change, Tennessee OSHA (TOSHA) recently stated that they are working to create regulations and guidelines for employers across the state. This move is very important as Chattanooga and other areas of Tennessee broke records for high temperatures and heat waves in July 2024. Some of the recommendations TOSHA suggested include allowing employees to start their shifts earlier in the day, implementing more water breaks throughout shifts, and providing shaded areas when possible.

Can I file a workers’ compensation claim if I am injured on the job due to a climate-related problem?

If you are injured at work during a severe storm, flood, wildfire, or extreme heat, you should look into your ability to file a workers’ compensation claim. These climate-related problems are causing serious injuries, mental health challenges, and illnesses and diseases, which are resulting in lost worker hours. If this sounds similar to your situation, you may be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits to help you provide for yourself and your family while you take time off work to heal and recover. However, you must report your accident or injury to your boss and begin seeking medical treatment right away.

After you report your accident or injury to your boss, they will send the necessary paperwork and information to their insurance company. While this might sound easy and straightforward, insurance companies can be challenging to work with and often deny claims for even the smallest reasons. That is why it is recommended to hire a Chattanooga workers’ compensation lawyer to help you collect evidence, such as medical records, weather data, accident reports, witness statements, and photos and videos, to prove your climate-related injury occurred while working and that you deserve benefits to get you through this tough time.

Are you a worker in Chattanooga who has suffered from the effects of climate change? If so, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the workers’ compensation attorneys at Wagner Workers’ Compensation & Personal Injury Lawyers as soon as possible. Our team is fully aware of how climate change is affecting the workers in our city, and we do everything we can to help you obtain the benefits you need to get back on your feet during this difficult time. Call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation. We are located in Cleveland, Chattanooga, and North Georgia for your convenience.