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[00:00.93] On a hot summer day, workers recently worked to remove asbestos and hazardous waste at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

[00:13.94] It is a former nuclear center that the government wants to tear down.

[00:20.32] The men wore full-body protective clothing and used respirators to clean the air they breathe.

[00:31.21] But the clothing does not protect them from high temperatures inside the building and inside their heavy clothing.

[00:39.44] On their arms, they wear devices that record their heart rates, movements and levels of exertion.

[00:50.07] The aim is to look for heat stress.

[00:54.32] Stephanie Miller oversees safety and health for the company responsible for the cleanup.

[01:03.35] She watches a computer to observe each worker’s data looking for danger of overheating.

[01:12.12] Miller said, “Heat is one of the greatest risks that we have in this work, even though we deal with high radiation, hazardous chemicals and heavy metals.”

[01:27.52] The issue of heat in the workplace has been getting more attention since a 2021 report from the research organization Atlantic Council.

[01:40.80] The group said the United States loses an average of $100 billion each year from “heat-induced” reductions in productivity.

[01:53.82] The Environmental Protection Agency said from 1992 to 2022, 986 people died from heat-related causes in U.S. workplaces.

[02:13.74] Employers have measured heat-related stress by checking employees’ temperatures with thermometers.

[02:23.84] More recently, firefighters and military members have swallowed thermometer capsules.

[02:32.87] As the world experiences record-high temperatures, employers are exploring wearable technologies, like sensors and armbands, to help keep workers safe.

[02:49.07] They collect body temperature and warn workers to take breaks when they get too hot.

[03:00.23] Perrigo, a drug company, gave SlateSafety armbands to more than 100 employees at its baby food factory.

[03:12.71] The devices estimate the wearer’s body temperature.

[03:17.76] A reading of 101.3 results in an alert, or a warning.