June 30, 2021
New research finds heat limits worker productivity in tropical deforested areas
According to new research from the University of Washington Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Atmospheric Sciences, workers in deforested areas are less productive than their counterparts in forested regions.
The study examined agricultural workers in rural Indonesia, examining the health of workers and their productivity levels in areas experiencing tropical deforestation.
Through deforestation, the local environment lacks the cooling power and shade that trees can offer. This leaves workers in deforested areas vulnerable to increased body temperatures, heat strain and impaired cognitive performance.
These effects hold direct implications for workers’ productivity and health. The researchers found that agricultural workers in deforested areas were about 8% less productive than workers in forested areas.
This study was partially supported by a 2019 pilot research grant from the Population Health Initiative.