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. 2024 Sep 21;21(9):1255.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph21091255.

Examining Management and Employees' Perceptions of Occupational Heat Exposure and the Effectiveness of a Heat Stress Prevention Intervention on Safety and Well-Being among Natural Gas Construction Workers: A Qualitative Field-Based Study

Muinat Abolore Idris  1 , Christine Markham  2 , Kristina D Mena  1 , William B Perkison  1
Affiliations

Examining Management and Employees' Perceptions of Occupational Heat Exposure and the Effectiveness of a Heat Stress Prevention Intervention on Safety and Well-Being among Natural Gas Construction Workers: A Qualitative Field-Based Study

Muinat Abolore Idris et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Numerous risk factors have been identified as significantly influencing outdoor workers' risk for heat stress and heat-related conditions, impacting their health, well-being, and productivity. However, the specific effects of these factors on construction workers' safety, health, and well-being remain under-researched. With climate change increasing temperatures, assessing heat stress among construction workers is imperative.

Objective: To identify the barriers and facilitators influencing the safety of natural gas construction workers and evaluate an implemented heat stress intervention.

Methods: In the summer of 2023, two semi-structured interviews and six focus groups were conducted with twenty-one stakeholders at a Texas natural gas construction site.

Results: Key facilitators include employee preparedness, use of employer-provided resources, hydration logs, and real-time communication tools. Contrarily, the barriers include daily work schedules, access to dehydrating beverages, and generational differences with the non-implementation of mandatory rest breaks. The heat stress program was perceived as effective, surpassing recommended guidelines.

Conclusion: To advance construction workers' safety, health, and well-being, both employee involvement and employer management are needed, along with no-cost accessible resources. Additionally, implementing a required routine rest break and comprehensive heat stress education, particularly for older workers, will significantly promote safety and safe work practices in hot environments. Note: in this study, the terms 'worker' and 'employee' are used interchangeably.

Keywords: barriers; construction workers; facilitators; heat stress; heat stress prevention program; heat-related conditions; well-being; worker safety.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Waterlog/hydration log content; (b) visual on-site heat index tool (heat index flag); (c) individual accessible heat index chart from the waterlog; (d) sample of a filled waterlog.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Waterlog/hydration log content; (b) visual on-site heat index tool (heat index flag); (c) individual accessible heat index chart from the waterlog; (d) sample of a filled waterlog.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Waterlog/hydration log content; (b) visual on-site heat index tool (heat index flag); (c) individual accessible heat index chart from the waterlog; (d) sample of a filled waterlog.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Visual interpretation of participants’ keywords mentioned in relation to their working conditions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Barriers and facilitators that affect worker safety.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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