Assessing Heat Stress and Health among Construction Workers in a Changing Climate: A Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Method
3. Results
3.1. Types of Metrics for Heat Exposure
3.2. Epidemiological Studies
3.2.1. Construction Industry is Severely Affected by Heat Stress
3.2.2. Pattern of Heat Stress Injuries
3.3. Policies, Regulations, and Recommendations
3.3.1. Public Education Campaigns and Governmental Guidelines
3.3.2. Limited Work Hours
3.3.3. Required Rest Breaks
3.4. Risk Factors
3.4.1. Physiological Effects of Heat Stress
3.4.2. Seasonal Aspect of HRIs
3.4.3. Co-Morbid Risk Factors for Heat-Related Stress
3.4.4. Business Size and Skill Levels
3.4.5. Vulnerable Age Ranges
3.4.6. Sex and Racial Differences
4. Prevention
4.1. Effects of Acclimatization to Heat
4.2. Optimizing Work–Rest Cycles
- 28.5 °C-WBGT: 120 min of work followed by a 5-min break
- 28.9 °C-WBGT: 90 min of work followed by a 10-min break
- 29.7 °C-WBGT: 60 min of work followed by a 15-min break
- 31.6 °C-WBGT: Self pace
4.3. Other Preventive Actions
5. Climate Change
6. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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First Author | Study Location/Study Period | Sample Population | Study Design/Data Source | Heat Exposure Metric | Health Outcomes | Main Conclusions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bonauto et al. 2007 [3] | Washington, United States 1995–2005 | Workers’ compensation claims (N = 480) | Ecological study Heat-related Ilness (HRI) worker compensation claims | Temperature | Heat-related illness (HRI) |
|
Gubernot et al. 2015 [4] | United States 2000–2010 | Heat-related deaths for workers (N = 359) | Retrospective study Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries database of Bureau of Labor Statistics | - | Heat-related mortality |
|
Rowlinson and Jia 2014 [13] | Hong Kong June–September 2011 | Construction workers (N = 216) | Cross-sectional study Participants in the study | Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) | Heart rate (beats per minute) |
|
Xiang et al. 2014 [14] | Adelaide, Australia July 2001–June 2010 | Workers’ compensation claims (N = 252,183) | Retrospective study SafeWork South Australia injury claim data | Tmax | Work-related injuries |
|
Lin and Chan 2009 [15] | Taiwan 2001–2007 | Workers’ records from a variety of industries including construction (N = 10,403,000; all industries combined) | Retrospective study Publicly available Taiwanese government database | WBGT | Perceived a risk of excessive heat |
|
Petitti et al. 2013 [17] | Maricopa County, Arizona, US 2002–2009 | Heat-caused deaths (Cases N = 444 Control N = 925) | Case-control study Death certificates | - | Heat-related deaths |
|
Sett and Sahu 2014 [18] | West Bengal, India October 2008–May 2009, October 2009–May 2010, and October 2010–May 2011 | Female brick workers (N = 120) | Questionnaire Participants in the study | WBGT | Cardiac parameters (peak heart rate, net cardiac cost, relative cardiac cost, and recovery heart rates) |
|
Morioka et al. 2006 [37] | Wakayama Prefecture, Japan August 1998 | Construction workers (N = 12 male workers) | Cross-sectional study Participants in the study | WBGT | Health problems as measured by blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood sugar, serum osmotic pressure |
|
Chan et al. 2013 [38] | Hong Kong July–September 2010 | Rebar workers aged 20–60 years (N = 10) | Prospective study Participants in the study | Thermal Work Limit (TWL) | Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) | Environmental factors causing increase in RPE include duration of work, air pollution; personal factors include age, alcohol and smoking habits |
Inaba and Mirbod 2007 [39] | Gifu city, Japan August 2001 | Traffic control workers (N = 247); Male workers engaged in building construction (N = 115) | Questionnaire Participants in the study | WBGT | Heat prevention measures in summer (self-reported symptoms classified in categories of frequency) |
|
Montazer et al. 2013 [41] | Iran Date not provided | Sun-exposed and non-exposed construction workers (N = 60) | Cross-sectional study Participants in the study | WBGT, TWL | Hydration status (measured by urine specific gravity, USG) |
|
Bates and Schneider 2008 [42] | Al Ain, United Arab Emirates May 2006 | Construction workers (N = 22) | Cross-sectional study Participants in the study | WBGT, TWL | Hydration status and physiological workload- as measured by aural temperature, fluid intake, and USG | USG <1.015, indicating “well-hydrated” workers. Average fluid intake was 5.44 liters per 12-h shift per day |
Bates et al. 2010 [43] | Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates Sites 1 and 2 in July and August; sites 3 and 4 in September and December 2009, respectively | Expatriate workers (manual laborers) in construction and other industries (N = 186) | Cross-sectional study Participants in the study | - | USG | Unskilled and semi-skilled workers had higher USG (1.020 ± 0.008) compared to skilled tradesmen (USG = 1.016 ± 0.009), indicating poorer hydration status among the former group |
Ji et al. 2016 [44] | Hong Kong 2011 | Construction workers (N = 216) | Ecologic study HRI cases | Temperature, humidity, solar radiant heat, WBGT | HRI |
|
Yi and Chan 2013 [46] | Hong Kong July 2010 –September 2011 | Rebar workers (N = 29) | Prospective study Participants in the study | WBGT | Heat tolerance time (HTT) | Optimized schedule of having a 15-min break after working 120 min continuously in the morning (WBGT = 28.9 ±1.3 °C), and having a 20-min break after working 115 min continuously in the afternoon (WBGT = 32.1 ± 2.1 °C) is proposed by the authors |
Chan et al. 2012 [47] | Hong Kong July–August 2011 | Rebar workers (N = 19) | Cross-sectional study Participants in the study | WBGT | Recovery time measured by Physiological Strain Index (PSI); RPE | On average, a rebar worker could achieve 94% recovery in 40 min; 93% in 35 min; 92% in 30 min; 88% in 25 min; 84% in 20 min; 78% in 15 min; 68% in 10 min; and 58% in 5 min; recovery time is a significant variable to predict rate of recovery (R2 = 0.99, p < 0.05) |
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Acharya, P.; Boggess, B.; Zhang, K. Assessing Heat Stress and Health among Construction Workers in a Changing Climate: A Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 247. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020247
Acharya P, Boggess B, Zhang K. Assessing Heat Stress and Health among Construction Workers in a Changing Climate: A Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15(2):247. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020247
Chicago/Turabian StyleAcharya, Payel, Bethany Boggess, and Kai Zhang. 2018. "Assessing Heat Stress and Health among Construction Workers in a Changing Climate: A Review" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 2: 247. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020247