On July 21 a team of researchers from Indiana University, the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, brought together by La Isla Network, successfully completed a data collection pilot project evaluating heat stress in construction workers. The research team worked with Turner Construction to gather the data.
The project came together through the collaboration of various parties. CEO and co-founder of La Isla Network Jason Glaser set up the relationships and sought out funding for the project. Monika Serrano, the resilience program manager for Turner Construction, acted as the chaperone within Turner that brought the project to upper management. Researchers Zachary Schlader and Fabiano Amorim wrote the research project grant and protocol in conjunction with senior experts David Wegman and Ineke Wesseling.
Turner Construction provided a work site and crew to gather data. Drs. Schlader and Amorim conducted the field work and will analyze the data.
Moving forward, Mr. Glaser, Drs. Wesseling and Wegman will edit the data and make it accessible to Turner Construction.
Mr. Glaser applauded the multi-stakeholder effort. “This is a great example of exactly how La Isla Network works: proactive, collaborative, effective and mission focused.”
The pilot research project with Turner is La Isla Network’s beachhead in the home front — the United States and Europe — in the larger effort to bring home the organization’s decade-plus years of expertise abroad. This year, La Isla launched the Let’s Bring It Home! campaign to raise awareness about and create impetus around the disastrous effects of heat and other extreme weather events on workers and the businesses they work for in the United States and Europe.
Turner Resilience Program Manager Monika Serrano said, “Turner has a culture of caring for and protecting workers first and foremost – including protecting workers who face extreme weather conditions. As heat threatens the health and safety of workers, we implement a range of mitigation measures to prevent and identify heat stress. This findings from this study furthers our efforts to improve the safety and well-being of the workers on our construction sites.”
Drs. Schlader and Amorim said, “Our research team worked diligently to collect data on the heat stress experienced by workers in construction during summertime. This is a small study, but we believe the information collected will help us to plan for larger studies and understand better heat stress in the construction industry.
“Our preliminary observation indicates that not all workers are suffering from heat stress, but some groups such as roofers experience moderate to high heat stress,” they said. “We believe that the information collected, and recommendations drawn from our observation will help the industry protect workers’ safety and well-being.”
The pilot research project is important in filling the gap of novel research on heat stress and chronic kidney disease in the United States. Mr. Glaser and Drs. Schlader and Amorim have previously published research on the connection between heavy labor, heat exposure and chronic kidney disease. They find that heat stress induces tubular kidney injury, which is worsened by higher core body temperatures, dehydration, longer work durations, muscle-damaging exercise and consumption of beverages containing high levels of fructose. Furthermore, they identify a dearth of evidence characterizing occupational heat exposure in the United State. Without this evidence, the risk of chronic kidney disease among U.S. workers cannot be accurately assessed.
With the research being conducted at Turner Construction, this data gap will be filled.
La Isla Network is the leading global research consultancy dedicated to improving the resiliency of workforces and supply chains in the face of changing climates. We use public and private funds, and work with clients to achieve this mission. La Isla Network can be reached at in**@la***********.org.
