When the Heat Is On, Construction Employers Need More Than a Safety Plan

Employers in the construction industry cannot treat extreme heat as just a seasonal inconvenience. This workplace hazard requires the same planning, supervision, and attention as other jobsite safety risks, as recent statistics show.

In 2024, 48 occupational fatalities in the United States resulted from exposure to environmental heat, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with half occurring in construction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention separately reported 2,391 heat-related deaths across the U.S. population that year, highlighting the broader dangers extreme heat poses.