The project, presented in May at a conference dedicated to heat stress in Madrid, aims to develop a tool to predict the WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature ) index from meteorological data. While widely used today to measure environmental conditions in the field such as temperature, humidity, radiation and wind, the WBGT index remains limited for outdoor professional activities where indicators change rapidly.
This new tool would allow for forecasting environmental conditions to anticipate situations of heat stress and prevent associated occupational risks such as heatstroke and dehydration.
“Extreme heat waves are no longer limited to a few days a year, and intense sun exposure is no longer an isolated phenomenon. It is now necessary to move from a reactive approach to preventive management that anticipates and adapts to these risks. This requires a science-based approach, technical rigor, and institutional and social dialogue,” notes Aitana Garí Pérez, Director of the INSST.
This initiative forms part of the Spanish Strategy for Occupational Safety and Health 2023-2027 which recognises the need to improve protection against increasingly extreme weather conditions and to promote specific tools facilitating preventive management.
The INSST points out that workplace accidents increase by 17.4% during heat waves. Between 16 May and 30 September 2025, over 3,830 deaths related to high temperatures were recorded in the general Spanish population – an 87.6% increase compared to 2024, according to estimates from the Spanish Daily Mortality Surveillance System – MoMo.
