By Michael Oche
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has raised concerns over rising workplace deaths across the continent, linking the trend to increasing heat exposure and growing mental health stress among workers.
In a statement issued by General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie ahead of the 2026 International Workers’ Memorial Day, the labour body warned that African workers are facing “invisible and emerging dangers” driven by climate change and evolving workplace technologies.
Odigie said while traditional occupational hazards remain, new risks particularly extreme heat and psychosocial stress are becoming more pronounced in farms, factories, mines, and informal workplaces.
According to ITUC-Africa, rising temperatures linked to climate change are exposing workers to dangerous levels of heat, often without adequate protection such as rest breaks, hydration, or proper ventilation.
It noted that prolonged heat exposure not only leads to physical exhaustion but also affects workers’ mental stability, increasing the risk of accidents and fatalities.
“We honor those killed, injured, or made ill by their work. Yet too many deaths remain invisible: the farmer whose heart fails under extreme heat, the call center agent crushed by digital monitoring and abuse, the pregnant factory worker who experiences miscarriage due to excessive heat and poor ventilation, or the first respondent such as the police officer or paramedic in South Africa, who commits suicide due to the high exposure to trauma, long hours, and poor mental health support,” the statement noted.
The organisation also highlighted the growing impact of digital technologies, including algorithm-driven management systems and workplace surveillance, which it said are contributing to stress, anxiety, and burnout among workers.
ITUC-Africa further pointed to cases of frontline responders and workers in high-pressure environments who experience trauma and, in some instances, take their own lives due to lack of psychosocial support.
To address the situation, the labour body called on governments across Africa to formally recognise mental health risks and heat stress as occupational hazards under national occupational safety and health laws.
It also urged employers to implement workplace heat action plans, including access to shade, water, rest periods, and adjusted work schedules in response to rising temperatures.
On technology, the group stressed the need for worker-centred policies, including consultation with trade unions before deploying artificial intelligence tools or monitoring systems that could affect workers’ wellbeing.
ITUC-Africa further advocated for expanded access to affordable and confidential mental health services, especially for vulnerable groups such as informal and migrant workers.
The organisation encouraged trade unions across the continent to intensify documentation of workplace hazards, push for collective bargaining on digital rights, and collaborate with climate and public health groups to strengthen worker protections.
Marking this year’s theme, “Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living,” ITUC-Africa said the commemoration should serve as a call to action to prevent avoidable deaths and improve working conditions across the continent.
“No worker should sacrifice their mind to an algorithm or their life to a heatwave,” the statement noted.
