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<p>Purpose: Climate change has intensified the impact of heat worldwide, affecting various aspects of human activity. In Brazil, workers engaged in outdoor activities are particularly vulnerable to heat stress, which compromises health, safety conditions, and work productivity - either due to a natural reduction in work pace or the adoption of rest pauses for thermal recovery. The objective of this study was to analyze heat exposure, the rest time required to keep exposure within safe limits, and the implications for work productivity. Methods: Hourly meteorological data spanning 54 years from the ERA5 reanalysis were used to estimate the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and calculate the Rest-Pause Percentage (RPP), considering moderate, heavy, and very heavy workloads, in accordance with exposure limits established by Brazilian legislation. Mean RPP values and the most thermally critical situations in the historical series were presented for 22 cities. Results: The results show an increasing trend in RPP from 1971 to 2024 due to climate change. The daytime work shift was consistently the most critical, but in some cities, nighttime shifts also required extended rest periods for thermal recovery, leading to significant productivity losses. In extreme heat cases, some cities experienced 4 to 7 consecutive hours requiring 100% rest per hour. Conclusion: It was found that protective actions for workers on extremely hot days can effectively reduce productivity losses. Moreover, on days with milder heat stress, the adoption of protective measures can lead to medium- and long-term productivity gains, while also promoting daily practices that support health and safety in the workplace.</p>

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Heat exposure, rest pauses, and productivity losses in outdoor work in Brazil

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月23日

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  • Daniel Pires Bitencourt,
  • Elisa Kayo Shibuya,
  • Irlon de Ângelo da Cunha,
  • Rodrigo Caoduro Roscani,
  • Joyce Ribeiro Rothstein,
  • Márcia Vetromilla Fuentes

摘要

Purpose: Climate change has intensified the impact of heat worldwide, affecting various aspects of human activity. In Brazil, workers engaged in outdoor activities are particularly vulnerable to heat stress, which compromises health, safety conditions, and work productivity - either due to a natural reduction in work pace or the adoption of rest pauses for thermal recovery. The objective of this study was to analyze heat exposure, the rest time required to keep exposure within safe limits, and the implications for work productivity. Methods: Hourly meteorological data spanning 54 years from the ERA5 reanalysis were used to estimate the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and calculate the Rest-Pause Percentage (RPP), considering moderate, heavy, and very heavy workloads, in accordance with exposure limits established by Brazilian legislation. Mean RPP values and the most thermally critical situations in the historical series were presented for 22 cities. Results: The results show an increasing trend in RPP from 1971 to 2024 due to climate change. The daytime work shift was consistently the most critical, but in some cities, nighttime shifts also required extended rest periods for thermal recovery, leading to significant productivity losses. In extreme heat cases, some cities experienced 4 to 7 consecutive hours requiring 100% rest per hour. Conclusion: It was found that protective actions for workers on extremely hot days can effectively reduce productivity losses. Moreover, on days with milder heat stress, the adoption of protective measures can lead to medium- and long-term productivity gains, while also promoting daily practices that support health and safety in the workplace.