‘It’s going to be extremely hot’: workers imperiled as sweltering World Cup temperatures are forecast

It could top 90F in several cities hosting World Cup games – and workers could pay the price with their health.

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Measures such as mandated breaks and access to water and shade can help protect workers from scorching temperatures, said Jordan Barab, former deputy assistant secretary of labor at the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha).

“We’ve known for decades, if not centuries, how to protect workers against heat-related illness and death,” he said. “It’s not that hard, it’s not that expensive, but there are far too many employers who are still neglecting those precautions, and far too many workers who are getting sick and dying.”

Fifa does not directly control employment conditions, which are governed by host countries, local organizers, stadium authorities and contractors. But it can promote safety through host-city agreements, venue-operating requirements and contractor standards, said Margaret Morrissey-Basler, a senior adviser of occupational safety at the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute who co-authored the recent study.

“It is also important for city governments and the organizations themselves to ensure these protections are in place,” said Morrissey-Basler, who is also a professor at Providence College.

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