This summer has been a scorcher, one marked with consecutive triple-digit days across the country extending past weeks into months. In Phoenix, as of Thursday, the temperature had reached 100 degrees or higher every day since June 13.
And it’s not just in traditionally sun-baked locales. At the end of July, the Associated Press reported that 60% of the U.S. population, nearly 200 million people, were under an extreme weather advisory. Globally, July was the hottest month ever recorded on Earth, and scientists say summer 2024 could be even hotter.
While the hazards to construction workers have been obvious — the Biden administration recently promised new protections in the absence of a federal standard on workplace heat safety — a more subtle impact may be hitting projects in terms of cost and schedule. A study published in June found that extreme heat has been sapping productivity from businesses, leading to increased absenteeism and reduced work hours.
With summer traditionally being among the most productive seasons for construction work, Construction Dive editors are wondering how the extreme heat has impacted not just your workers, but also your project costs and schedules. Have you lost productivity due to heat or other environmental impacts?
Let us know by filling out the survey below. The result of this week’s survey will be published next week.