Heat Stress and Mitigation Strategies for Construction Workers, Ghana.

Abstract

This study evaluated heat stress and mitigation strategies among Ghana's Tema Port Expansion Project construction workers. A cross-sectional study design was used to assessed the awareness and prevalence of heat stress and its mitigation strategies among workers at the Tema Port Expansion. The study recruited and assessed 84 participants at two Tema Port Expansion project locations. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and prevalence of heat stress, and mitigation measures were collected face-to-face using a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to determine the association of knowledge of heat stress, demographics, working experience, the impact of heat stress, and other variables accounting for heat stress. A logistics regression model was employed to assess the association between sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of heat stress, and mitigation measures with heat stress outcomes. The results showed that most participants in the study were male (73.3%), with half having tertiary education. Awareness of heat stress was high (93%), yet 40.7% had no training, and 20.9% lacked induction on heat stress mitigation. There was no association between the sociodemographic characteristics of construction workers and the impact of heat stress on their health and work performance. However, gender and educational level were associated with heat stress exposure (χ² = 3.7, p = 0.044 and χ² = 7.4, p = 0.025, respectively). Female construction workers were four times more likely to suffer from heat stress than males (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.210-19.788, p = 0.036). Participants with tertiary education were 68% less likely to suffer from heat stress than their counterparts (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.103-0.904, p = 0.027). Working experience was associated with a heat stress mitigation plan (χ² = 11.8, p = 0.019). Construction workers with 3-5 years of experience were 93.3% less likely to acknowledge the presence of a heat stress mitigation plan on site than their counterparts (AOR = 0.067, 95% CI: 0.007-0.605, p = 0.016). Construction workers at the Tema Port Expansion Project were highly aware of heat stress but lacked formal training on mitigation. Despite recognizing heat stress as a serious health risk, workers faced pressure to limit water intake and lacked emergency protocols. Heat stress mitigation strategies were inadequate, with no on-site shaded areas, cooling devices, or hydration measures. Many workers reported no formal heat stress plan. In conclusion, this study indicates that construction workers at the Tema Port Expansion Project are highly aware of heat stress and its associated risks. However, no significant correlation was found between sociodemographic factors and the effects of heat stress on workers' health or job performance. Nonetheless, gender and education were identified as factors influencing the experience of heat stress. Additionally, workers with 3–5 years of experience were less likely to recognize the presence of a heat stress mitigation plan on-site than those with more experience. Hence, workers should prioritize staying hydrated and taking frequent breaks, especially during the hottest hours of the day, to minimize the risk of heat-related illnesses. Targeted training should be provided to workers with fewer years of experience to improve their recognition and adherence to heat stress mitigation plans.