125 - The Scope of Heat Stress

Session Description: Heat-related illness and injury (HRII) cases are rising due to increasing global ambient temperatures. Exposure to heat stress can exacerbate both acute and chronic health conditions leading to increased work absence and decreased productivity. However, when employers provide a robust heat stress prevention program this can reduce the negative impact on worker health, safety, and productivity.
Currently, five states in the US have occupational heat standards and a national policy has been proposed as of June 2025. HRII are likely underreported because of the lack of a national reporting standards in the US, the limitations in medical coding linking heat stress to medical outcomes, and the variability of risk factors in both heat definitions and personal risk factors. To better understand the incidence of heat-related health effects and associated costs, this session will contrast electronic health records from private insurance claims, short term disability claims from a US database, and accepted California workers’ compensation claims. This goal is to provide additional data to support policy decision making for heat stress exposure standards.

Educational Gaps: Outline the benefits of heat illness prevention programs to employers with at risk employees.
Explain to employers how a HIPP can impact employee health, safety, and productivity.
Explain to employers how heat stress impacts health costs across private health insurance, short-term disability and workers compensation.

Is this session being sponsored by an ACOEM Section or Component?: Environmental Health

Has this session previously been presented?: No

The AOHC 2026 theme is Healthy workers. Healthy world: Heat-related illness and injury (HRII) cases are rising due to increasing global ambient temperatures. Exposure to heat stress can exacerbate both acute and chronic health conditions leading to increased work absence and decreased productivity. However, when national, state or employer policy support a robust heat stress prevention program this can reduce the negative impact on worker health, safety, and productivity.
To better understand the incidence of heat-related health effects and associated costs, this session will contrast electronic health records from private insurance claims, short term disability claims from a US database, and accepted California workers’ compensation claims' ICD 10 codes associated with heat related illnesses and injuries. The goal is to provide additional data to support policy decision making and the promulgation of a Heat and Hot Environment OSHA standard. The realization of the urgent need of a national heat standard is the continual warming of the earth's climate and as such an ongoing commitment to protect workers' health is also a commitment to a healthy earth. One health.