# Extreme Heat Exposure in the Construction Industry: A Scoping Review on Risk Factors and Heat-Related Health Consequences

## TL;DR

This review explores how extreme heat affects construction workers' health and safety, highlighting the need for better training, monitoring, and regulations.

## Contribution

The paper provides a synthesis of recent evidence on occupational heat stress impacts in construction workers, emphasizing gaps and solutions.

## Key findings

- Elevated ambient temperatures increase injury and illness risks among construction workers.
- Younger and unacclimatized workers face higher risks in extreme heat conditions.
- Gaps exist in training, compliance, and enforcement related to heat stress mitigation.

## Abstract

Prolonged exposure to high ambient temperatures, heat stress, and inadequate mitigation measures increases the health and safety risks of construction workers. Following the PRISMA guidelines, our goal was to synthesize recent evidence on the impacts of ambient heat stress on construction workers. A literature review of articles published between 2019 and 2024 was conducted, selecting 42 out of 883 articles that focused on occupational heat stress, extreme ambient temperatures, and their effects on the health, safety, and injury risks of construction workers. The findings highlighted a relationship between occupational heat exposure, increased injury, illness, and mortality among construction workers. Elevated ambient temperatures, during summer and peak work hours, significantly increased the risk of falls, cardiovascular events, and thermal discomfort. Younger, unacclimatized workers in regions with extreme ambient heat and a lack of regulation, observation, and regulation enforcement were at risk. Evidence revealed gaps in worker training, compliance, enforcement, and the integration of individualized monitoring. This review highlights the increasing risks associated with occupational heat exposure in construction workers, driven by rising ambient temperatures. It emphasizes the need for integrated strategies combining personalized wearable technologies, inclusive training, and regulatory reform to improve worker safety and productivity and promote policy development.