When weather wounds workers: The impact of temperature on workplace accidents☆

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Drescher, Katharina; Janzen, Benedikt
• 署名单位: University of Passau; University of Bern
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105258
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: Occupational health; labor supply; climate change

摘要

We study the effects of temperature on occupational health using administrative data on Swiss occupational accidents from 1996 to 2019. Our results imply that on hot days ( T (max) >= 30( degrees) C) the number of occupational accidents increases by 7.4% and on ice days ( T (max) < 0 (degrees) C) by 6.3%, relative to mild days. We find that extreme temperatures cause an average of 2600 workplace accidents each year, costing CHF 91 million annually. We provide suggestive evidence for insufficient sleep on hot days as a mechanism. While extreme temperatures worsen occupational health, we observe limited labor supply adaption for most workers.