There are no federal regulations that protect workers in extreme heat, contributing to losses in productivity. "There's of course the worst case, the risk of death, but there is the risk of injury with the rise in temperature and reduced work hours. How much heat impacts productivityPlenty of studies show that extreme heat can crush economic activity across a variety of sectors. Long-term exposure to extreme heat, the authors write, causes inflammation and cardiovascular pressure. Workers in high-exposure industries worked about an hour less when the temperature was above 85 degrees Fahrenheit compared to the 76-80 degrees Fahrenheit range.

---

Persons: Algernon Austin, Biometeorology, Austin Organizations: Service, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Center for Economic, Policy Research, Economics, Workers, International Locations: Wall, Silicon, New Orleans, Nashville, California