Association Between Climate Change and Impacts of Heat Stress Among Mining Employees: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Publisher



Jafari Nodoushan M¹ ; Jafari A¹ ; Jafari Zaveh M¹ ; Nasirzadeh N¹ ; Golbabaei F¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Public Health (Germany) Published:2025

Abstract

Aim: Climate change and global warming have caused concerns about the health of employees. There is evidence that global warming and heat stress threaten the health of mining employees due to the nature of the work. The aim of the present study was to summarize the existing knowledge regarding health effects related to climate change and heat stress, associated risk factors, control strategies, and research gaps for future studies in mining. Subject and methods: A search was performed in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. Keywords reflecting climate change, heat stress, and the mining environment were used. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate pooled event rates for health outcomes. Results: A total of 15 studies meeting the eligibility criteria were included in the review, of which seven were qualified to be included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results indicate that 22.8% of mining employees were affected by climate change and heat stress. For health effects, weakness and vomiting have the highest and the lowest frequency among exposed people, respectively (41.2% and 8.9%). Risk factors such as age, gender, BMI, degree of acclimatization, education, history of chronic disease, fitness, PPE, workload, and task were identified. Conclusions: Regarding the prediction of the global temperature increase and its effect on heat stress, it is necessary to adopt appropriate policies, occupational health interventions, and implement appropriate strategies. In this regard, measures such as work–rest programs, sufficient hydration, provision of shade, and engineering controls have been suggested. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025.