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

Shaila Nazneen, Sang D. Choi () and Gabriel Ibarra-Mejia
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Shaila Nazneen: Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Sang D. Choi: Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
Gabriel Ibarra-Mejia: Department of Public Health Science, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 11, 1-21

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.

Keywords: occupational heat stress; heat-related illness (HRI); construction workers; heat mitigation strategies; workplace safety; rising ambient temperatures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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