Long working hours are killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year, according to estimates from the World Health Organization and ILO, the International Labour Organization.
Long working hours are killing hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year, according to the findings of a study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization.
In joint research by the global public health and employment bodies, the WHO and ILO estimated there were 745,000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, marking a 29% increase since 2000.
The study, published in the Environment International journal Monday, was a first global analysis of the loss of life and health associated with working long hours.
The “work-related disease burden” was found to be particularly significant in men (72% of deaths occurred among males), people living in the Western Pacific (in which the WHO includes China, South Korea, Australia and Japan among other countries) and Southeast Asia regions, and middle aged or older workers, the WHO said Monday.
“Most of the deaths recorded were among people dying aged 60-79 years, who had worked for 55 hours or more per week between the ages of 45 and 74 years,” the organization added.
