October 28, 2024

As global temperatures rise, the U.S. federal government and some states are taking renewed interest in protecting vulnerable workers against the dangers of prolonged heat exposure on the job. Most recently, Maryland joined a handful of other states, implementing their own standards that require all workers to have access to water, shade and rest breaks when temperatures go above 80 degrees F.

In 2022, 43 United States workers died due to extreme heat, while others suffer from heat exhaustion, impaired cognition and other health problems. Many factors up an individual’s risk for heat-related illness including, but are not limited to, advanced or very young age, pregnancy, fever and mental illness.

A recently published study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine from researchers at the Dornsife School of Public Health adds support for one method of saving workers from heat: rest breaks. The group found an association between breaks and fewer on-the-job injuries and illnesses among construction workers in Dallas.

Lead author Leah Schinasi, PhD, an assistant professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health, shared information on the study with the Drexel News Blog.

Read Dr. Schinasi's full Q&A:  What Lessons Have We Learned This Summer to Protect Workers in Extreme Heat?