Heat-protection Measures Can Safeguard Health, Boost Productivity – NUS Expert

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Rising temperatures pose growing risks to public health and workplace productivity, but practical heat-protection measures can help safeguard workers and improve performance, said a heat resilience expert.

Director of the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Prof Jason Kai Wei Lee, said Southeast Asians must move beyond the perception that they were accustomed to hot weather, as this could undermine efforts to address the increasingly serious effects of heat exposure.

“The first thing we need to educate and advocate is heat has been compromising us. As the temperature creeps up, it will compromise us even more. We must take action,” he said in an interview with Bernama at its mini conty, held on the sidelines of the Global Tipping Points Conference 2026 here today.

Kai said heat directly affected exercise, sleep and eating habits, potentially compromising overall health, with fatigue and exhaustion among the common warning signs of heat exposure.

He said outdoor workers, particularly gig workers paid per delivery, faced greater health risks, while salaried workers might slow down in uncomfortable conditions, affecting productivity.

He added that thermal discomfort could also increase risk-taking behaviour, potentially contributing to workplace accidents, injuries and work stoppages, making investment in heat protection beneficial to both workers and employers.

“The good thing is if the investment is made to curb the behaviour, then everyone wins,” he said.

Kai said practical measures, including appropriate work-rest cycles, adequate hydration, access to shade, cooling equipment and heat acclimatisation, could reduce heat-related risks while improving workplace performance and worker retention.

Wearable devices using Internet of Things (IoT) technology could also help identify individuals at higher risk, he said, while stressing that human adaptation had its limits and must be accompanied by efforts to address the root causes of climate change, particularly fossil fuel use.

He said investment in heat protection should not be viewed solely as a preventive measure against heat-related illnesses, but also as a way to improve productivity, reduce workplace accidents and retain workers.

He added that extreme heat could worsen existing challenges, including mental health issues, and stressed that addressing its effects effectively could help improve overall well-being across society.

He urged governments, employers, researchers and communities to work together to develop practical solutions suited to the needs of affected groups, adding that community participation and integration into public policy were essential to building effective and sustainable heat resilience.

-- BERNAMA