As intense heat waves spread across the United States, vulnerable communities are at risk of severe health impacts. These heat waves have become more frequent and severe over the past few years as climate change and air pollution continue heating the atmosphere. This article will describe the health risks that humans, especially outdoor workers, face due to the recent heat waves in the United States in June/July of 2025. Then, this article will present personal safety tips and policy solutions that the EPA and local government agencies are working on to mitigate environmental health consequences from unprecedentedly high temperatures.
As climate change continues to ravage communities with increasing rates of natural disasters, changing weather patterns, and unbearable heat waves, how are vulnerable communities, such as outdoor workers, being impacted? What local or policy solutions can help them cope? According to the Washington Post, in the United States alone, from June 20-24, 2025, record-setting temperatures in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions were recorded. Almost 190 million Americans experienced these high temperatures. Outdoor workers are a portion of the population hit hardest by the heat. Outdoor workers include those working in construction, agriculture, delivery services, and even summer camp counselors. The human body cannot regulate temperatures above 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit. If the body reaches this temperature, there is a 99.9% chance this person will die. Humidity plays a large role in heat-related health problems as well. According to Scott Denning, a climate scientist and professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, humans sweat to cool down their bodies; however, "if it's too humid, your sweat doesn't evaporate, and then the outside of your skin can't get cooler than the inside of your skin." These weather conditions make it dangerous to be working outside for 8+ hour shifts each day without stepping out of the sun.
Why are Heat Waves Becoming More Frequent?: Urban heat islands–a phrase used to describe paved areas that have undergone infrastructure or other development and lost green space–are contributing to the warmer climate globally. Since much of the world used to be covered in trees and other plants, these plants absorbed lots of CO2 and cooled the atmosphere. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case, and cities across the United States are full of urban heat islands. Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions have been contributing heavily to global warming. Greenhouse gases trap heat, increasing the atmospheric temperature over time. Thus, the United States has been experiencing an increasing frequency of heat waves each year. To some people, this is alarming, especially as heat-related diseases happen to more and more people. The United States' political decisions and new environmental policies have not yet been enough to combat the extreme heat weather patterns and deadly outcomes of global warming.
Health Risks for Outdoor Workers: Intense heat as an outdoor worker can be dangerous, even deadly. Working outside during a heat wave for hours on end each day is not recommended by the EPA or health experts. Heat stroke, painful sunburns, sun poisoning, dehydration, and heat-related fatigue are all health risks that outdoor workers are facing this summer. Moreover, these workers have a "higher risk of exposure to tick and insect bites that cause Lyme disease, West Nile virus, and other diseases" (EPA). It is important that these vulnerable individuals are protected by the government, the companies they work for, and are being educated on heat wave health risk prevention.
Safety Recommendations for Outdoor Workers: 1. Wear light colored, loose, sun-resistant clothing, such as a brimmed hat. 2. Be as covered from the sun as possible without overheating. 3. Wear sunscreen and bug spray daily, and reapply often. 4. Seek shaded areas to rest. 5. Stay hydrated. 6. Take breaks when feeling feverish or experiencing other symptoms of heat stroke. 7. Ask to be scheduled earlier in the morning or in the evening, if possible (CDC, Heat and outdoor workers). 8. Check yourself and others for ticks after outdoor work. 9. Encourage co-workers to also follow these recommendations (CDC, Heat and outdoor workers).
Policy Solutions: 1. Local governments should create heat preparedness plans, such as developing workplace heat stress standards (Heat waves and climate change, 2023). 2. Invest in planting trees to provide shade and reduce urban heat islands (Heat waves and climate change, 2023). 3. The Federal and local EPAs could draft policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and implement air quality standards. 4. Local governments and nonprofits could lobby members of Congress to pass heat reduction laws.
Since global temperatures are continuing to increase, people (especially those most vulnerable, like outdoor workers) deserve to be protected from the heat through the best methods possible. Heat waves are not going away any time soon. This summer and in the future, local governments and federal policymakers should create laws that both mitigate climate change and help support people that experience or are at risk of heat-related diseases.