Evaluation of Health Care Costs for Workers in Extreme Weather Conditions

The number of deaths and minor and severe injuries in the construction industry are increasing every year and are directly related, at least in part, to the rising number of extremely hot and cold days caused by climate change. The lack of sufficient federal laws on safety enforcement for workers performing in extreme weather conditions has also contributed to the dilemma. This paper evaluates the health care costs that are associated with construction workers performing in hot and cold weather conditions by performing a descriptive analysis. A questionnaire survey was developed and distributed to a variety of workers involved in the construction sector, and 100 responses were received. An analysis of the results revealed that construction workers exposed to extreme hot and cold weather incur more health care expenses than workers in a thermo-neutral environment, male construction workers spend more on medical care than females, health care costs increase as workers age, and those who have higher medical bills suffer from more health issues. The results of this study will help construction professionals understand the health care cost claims of workers performing in extreme weather conditions.