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dc.contributor.authorRowlinson, S.
dc.contributor.authorJia, Andrea
dc.contributor.editorProfessor Albert Chan,
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-30T13:51:46Z
dc.date.available2017-01-30T13:51:46Z
dc.date.created2015-05-22T08:32:05Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.identifier.citationRowlinson, S. and Jia, A. 2014. Climatic heat risk management in construction: A socio-ergonomic theory, in A. Chan, (ed), Achieving Sustainable Construction Health and Safety, Jun 2 2014, pp. 1-20. Lund, Sweden: International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB).
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/35793
dc.description.abstract

Theoretical models have been developed for decades in the ergonomics field for understanding the mechanism of heat stress in working environment and development of heat strain in human body. They are however disconnected with management practice where large working population is exposed to climatic heat stress in summer, such as in the context of construction industry. Existing heat stress management in construction sites is being practised in an incremental way, which results in conflicting effects in safety measures. For example, the safety helmet, intended to protect workers from falling objects, often acts as a head heater during hot summer, which puts workers in a dilemma of risking one hazard or another. There is a lack of understanding on which systematic planning could be developed for heat stress management in construction sites. Noting this gap, this paper presents an initial theory that grounded the ergonomic heat stress model into its managerial, social and institutional context of the construction industry. The socioergonomic theory is generated from physiological, environmental and interview data from34 heat illness cases out of a sample of 216 workers of 26 construction sites in Hong Kong over 69 summer days. Using the existing rational ergonomics model of heat stress mechanism as a core, primary causes of heat illness in construction sites are identified, based on which effective interventions and their enablers at management and industrial levels are sorted. The theory serves to explain and predict climatic heat risks and its mitigation measures. Practically it serves to guide systematic assessment, monitoring and mitigation of heat stress risks in construction sites. The theory is open for modification and further development through cross-regional comparative studies.

dc.publisherInternational Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB)
dc.subjectacclimatisation
dc.subjectcontinuous work time
dc.subjectclimatic heat stress
dc.subjectsocio-ergonomic theory
dc.subject- intervention
dc.titleClimatic heat risk management in construction: A socio-ergonomic theory
dc.typeConference Paper
dcterms.source.startPage1
dcterms.source.endPage20
dcterms.source.titleProceedings of the CIB W099 Achieving Sustainable Construction Health and Safety
dcterms.source.seriesProceedings of the CIB W099 Achieving Sustainable Construction Health and Safety
dcterms.source.isbn9789176230053
dcterms.source.conferenceCIB W099 Achieving Sustainable Construction Health and Safety
dcterms.source.conference-start-dateJun 2 2014
dcterms.source.conferencelocationLund, Sweden
dcterms.source.placeSweden
curtin.departmentSchool of Built Environment
curtin.accessStatusFulltext not available


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