Heat Study Finds Construction Workers at Risk Even on 'Cooler' Summer Days

A study looking at the effects of working outside in hot weather by New York City-based Turner Construction discovered many workers’ core body temperatures reached risky levels even on moderate summer days.

The heat pilot study, conducted over three days last summer with an average peak temperature of 88 degrees Fahrenheit, found that 43% of the 33 workers monitored had core temperatures reach over 100.4 F, even in “cooler than typical summer conditions.” OSHA lists 100.4 F as the benchmark for an elevated risk of heat stress.

In partnership with the University of New Mexico, Indiana University and La Isla Network—an Alpharetta, Georgia-based organization researching the effects of heat on workers—the study was designed to better understand how increased temperatures affect jobsite safety.

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