A Conceptual Framework for Assessing Climate-Related Heat Effects on Craft Time Utilization in the Construction Industry

The nature of construction jobs often exposes construction workers to hot weather conditions. Incidence of extreme weather events is rising with climate-related changes observed globally and in the United States. Heat illness prevention strategies have unknown impacts on craft time utilization in the construction industry. A new approach, which relies on the integration of worker physiology models, sampling methods, thermal comfort theories, and meteorological knowledge, is employed in this research to develop a framework for assessing climate-related heat effects on craft time utilization. The findings of this research will provide great implications for increasing the productivity and sustainability of U.S. construction workforce.