The construction industry is one of the hottest, not necessarily the hottest, industries around, not for a good reason, but for the bad one. Other industries can be just as hot, if not more. In this physically laborious industry, construction workers work under the direct sun for more than 8 hours a day, and on top of that, they're doing strenuous physical activities, making them more likely harmed to heat stress and its extreme symptoms. The most common symptoms they experience are excessive sweating due to their long-sleeved protective clothing and PPE, dizziness due to a combination of factors, fainting due to reduced blood circulation, and overheating due to many reasons and combined factors. They could have heat rash from too much sweat under their personal protective equipment, muscle cramps from electrolyte loss, and irritability as heat exhaustion impairs cognitive functions.

Manufacturing workers, on the other hand, are exposed to indoor heat from machines, lack of ventilation, and repetitive physical labour, but they also show similar symptoms to construction workers like excessive sweating, fainting, and overheating. Oxygen levels drop especially in enclosed manufacturing spaces, meaning there’s lack of fresh air circulation. This can lead to fatigue, sluggishness, lack of concentration and coordination, headaches, and skin burns are also one of the common symptoms among manufacturing workers. In addition to that, there are also airborne contaminants because most manufacturing processes release dust, fumes, and chemical vapors. It’s a different kind of battle manufacturing workers deal with daily, because with a lack of ventilation, pollutants also remain in the air. So they’re not just dealing with the consequences of heat stress, but also long term respiratory issues, and eye irritation.

Agricultural workers experience harsh symptoms since they spend more hours under direct sunlight and sometimes in humid conditions. Just a recap, humidity affects the body’s ability to cool itself through heating, meaning agricultural workers are most vulnerable when it comes to the heat stress effects caused by humidity because of the type of environment they work in. They spent many hours outdoors, and they experience extreme dehydration, due to lack of water intake for hours and insufficient cooling and water-drinking station. They also experience painful muscle spasms or heat cramps due to intense physical labour electrolyte loss, and excessive swearing. Furthermore, fluid loss causes nausea and vomiting as part of heat exhaustion. With too much sun exposure and lack of protective gears, they may also result in sunburns and heat rashes. Sunburns may not be permanent, but repeated exposure definitely causes long-term damage to the skin like skin discolouration, increased risk to skin cancer, scars, and aging. Skin rashes, too, are not permanent, but can lead to other permanent effects like hyperpigmentation, skin infections, and chronic skin irritation. Heat syncope, is also one of the symptoms of heat stress, which happens when blood pressure suddenly drops, there’s not enough blood from standing too long under the sun.

The risks, effects, and symptoms of heat stress to workers in many industries may somehow vary and differ, but they're still life-threatening that can cause long-term health conditions if not addressed immediately. There is no better or worse heat stress management across industries, because heat stress is a world-wide concern and not a competition on which ones have fewer workers dealing with it. No one should ever have to deal with it, or even risk their lives for productivity. Yes, economic growth is more important and workers are just trying to make a living, but employers should be reminded that their workers are humans and humans are not dispensable like objects. The welfare of the workers is key to having a successful business. An organisation can be largely judged based on how they treat their employees, and they make the workplace safe and healthy.

Preventing heat stress is a combined initiative that must be taken by employers, the whole industry, and the workers themselves. There should be enough cooling and hydration stations, most especially in wide work areas, like the agriculture industry. Workers must never forget to drink water during these breaks, replenish fluids, and follow the heat stress prevention initiatives set by the employers. It’s also the workers' responsibility to provide feedback and voice out their concerns if they think their well-being is not being prioritised. For indoor settings, like the manufacturing industry, there must be adequate ventilation to regulate indoor temperatures and remove dusts and fumes from chemicals. Employers must schedule rests and breaks so that workers can recover from the repetitive tasks they do for hours and hours. Additionally, businesses in all industries must mandate heat stress safety training and programs so that workers can recognise the early symptoms and take preventive actions before conditions worsen.

It’s really a collective effort, that’s why OH&S has provided guidelines to manage heat stress, and OSHA has also suggested a Heat Illness Prevention Program to make it easier to address and prevent heat stress.