Impacts of heat stress on construction laborers' occupational health and productivity : a case study of Thailand | |
| Author | Sahassawat Runganothai |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.CM-25-02 |
| Subject(s) | Labor productivity--Effect of heat on--Thailand--Case studies Heat--Physiological effect--Thailand--Case studies |
| Note | A research submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The rising temperatures nowadays contribute to the heat-related symptoms of the construction workers. This becomes a critical issue in labor-intensive industries where high temperatures are prevalent. Heat stress not only affects workers' physical and cognitive performance but also poses significant health risks, leading to reduced efficiency and increased potential for accidents. The study aims to investigate how heat stress influences the occupational health and productivity of construction laborers by examining the connection between environmental heat stress and health condition and linking these responses to their work output in the real construction site in Thailand. The wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is the primary index for assessing heat stress. During the study, physiological parameters such as body temperature, skin temperature, and heart rate were monitored. The work sampling method was employed to evaluate the productivity of the workers. The collected data was analyzed with the mean comparison, correlation, and simple and multiple regression analysis for evaluation and provided suggestions for the heat mitigation strategy. Analysis results revealed that physiological health indicators show a notable positive correlation with environmental heat stress. Regression analysis further identified a weak but significant relationship between the increase of WBGT and the reduction of laborers’ productivity. However, the predicting strength of the regression models varied between shaded and outdoor environments due to various factors. Among the indicators, skin temperature emerged as one of the important measures for assessing heat stress and its impact on productivity, while others proved to be less relevant. In addition, potential solutions and energy efficient strategies for managing heat stress were discussed with consideration for both laborers’ well-being and practical implementation. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Construction Engineering and Infrastructure Management (CM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Santoso, Djoen San |
| Examination Committee(s) | Roy, Joyashree;Virdis, Salvatore G.P. |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Prof. Emeritus Madan Mohan Das Memorial Scholarship |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |