The International Social Security Association (ISSA) emphasized the critical importance of prevention in addressing heat stress in the workplace, and highlighted the Vision Zero approach, during the recent G20 OSH Network meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil.

The G20 Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Network held a special session on heat stress in the workplace in connection with its annual meeting on 22 July 2025. As global temperatures rise and the frequency and intensity of heatwaves increase, heat stress can endanger workers' health and elevate the risk of accidents and injuries.

In the meeting, the ISSA stressed the urgent need for collaboration to address heat stress and protect workers through effective preventive measures. “To develop a sustainable approach to addressing heat-stress risks at work, workers, employers, governments and social security institutions must work together”, said the ISSA Secretary General, Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano.

He explained how the ISSA promotes the values of prevention through its network of accident insurance institutions, its Special Commission on Prevention, and the Vision Zero strategy. The ISSA's recent Vision Zero publication, 7 Golden Rules – To protect the environment and our future provides concrete guidance on this issue. 

Read more about this meeting on the ISSA website.