Extreme temperatures on construction sites in Saudi Arabia can have a serious detriment to productivity. Extreme, and more often than not, high extreme temperatures create laboring conditions. Particularly during the summer months, identifies the worker’s fatigue, dehydration, or worse, ultimately impacting their laboring conditions. Task completion times extend, breaks become longer, and machines may even overheat or, worst case scenario, break down. Having an environment that allows workers to lose focus or become physically stressed creates
safety ramifications and, again, more importantly, impacts implementation timelines. Compensation costs for workers’ health concerns or looking at material costs delays will ultimately increase. Work can cease altogether during heat waves. Employers can develop a good plan to mitigate the impact of heat and heat-related health concerns. Providing cooling stations where employees can hydrate properly and adjust work hours can reduce health risks and allow for continued productivity.
Extreme weather in Saudi Arabia clearly presents challenges when it comes to construction sites. Intense and prolonged high temperatures can exceed acceptable and or safe limits for outdoor work while also affecting the ultimate capacity to maintain activity levels. Issues like hot winds or sandstorms impede visibility and create unsafe working conditions. Other challenges can be seen when concrete dries because the temperature or rate of evaporation is too high while scheduling work during different heat waves is a challenge.
Not only can outdoor work stop during the hottest peak hours, but wearing additional PPE contributes to discomfort and can help degrade morale and overall performance as exposure to heat remains prolonged. Further, tools, machines, and equipment perform terribly in heat and dust. With certainty, if the extreme weather continues, a worker can only move so fast before further delaying the time frames while slowing productivity, particularly overall labor time in hot weather increases cost contractor’s relationship with safety, and efficiency starts with mitigating extreme weather on construction sites in Saudi Arabia.
Health Hazards Faced by Outdoor Workers
In Saudi Arabia, outdoor workers face extreme health hazards. With the length of exposure to the sun, outdoor workers are at a higher risk for dehydration and heat exhaustion. In extreme cases, outdoor workers exposed to prolonged heat in the sun can develop heatstroke, a life-threatening condition. Outdoor workers will often experience symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, and heat cramps, lowering focus and increasing the potential for accidents. If workers sweat too much, then they lose essential salts and minerals.
An outdoor worker’s health can quickly diminish with enough time and a lack of breaks. If we consider the additional heat stress potentially caused by wearing safety gear, there is much more at risk with outdoor work. To reduce the health risks associated with working outdoors, employers must be sure to provide breaks, enforce hydration, and keep outdoor workers in shaded areas.
Reduced Work Production and Delays
High temperatures in Saudi Arabia cause considerable time lost in production rates on construction sites. These extreme heat conditions will cause an outdoor worker to tire quickly, and the productivity rates are slower than normal. Outdoor workers must take breaks to limit the risk of heat-related illnesses, causing a reduction in work speed and hence producing longer times to complete the associated activities and tasks. Due to heat, the outdoor workers, as a group, may be unable to perform work activities safely longer than the regular work hours.
Circumstances like this result in affected productivity at hand, and if there is no productivity, there are time and cost implications. If there is overheating equipment, the outdoor activity may take longer, have more safety potential, and reduce productivity because an outdoor worker needs to cool equipment for a time. These are only outdoor productivity days and certainly do not consider the production impact during the peak summer months. Delays cost money and time! In terms of not losing daily productivity rates during the various hot weather periods, companies need to expend time re-evaluating schedules to make sure employees are provided with a safer work environment at work.
Effects on Equipment Performance
In Saudi Arabia, high extremes of heat can affect the performance of construction machinery and equipment. Overheating is a common problem, especially related to engines and electrical systems. Machines are likely to break down more frequently, and delays are likely to occur when machines fail. Furthermore, cooling systems have to work harder, thereby increasing energy and wear and tear.
Additionally, a concern is that lubricating oils tend to thin out under extreme heat, and as a result, wear and tear protection for moving parts can be compromised. Dust and sand also get into systems and attributed components. In extreme conditions, performance maintenance is critical. Breakdowns will increase downtime, negatively affecting workflows and increasing the costs of repairs and replacements. In extreme temperatures, care and appropriate equipment are required.
Increased Safety Hazards Related to Work Environment
Workers are significantly exposed to safety hazards associated with working in hot conditions on construction sites. Exposure to extremely high temperatures can result in heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, and fatigue, which can impair mental concentration and physical performance. Higher levels of risk associated with accidents such as slips, trips, falls, and wrong maneuvers while operating equipment may also occur in extreme heat.
Furthermore, prolonged exposure to sunlight can create equally troublesome issues, including sunburn and exhaustion from heat exposure. Therefore, to promote and maintain a safe working environment, preventative measures like sufficient incidentally available drinking water, adequate rest breaks, providing shade when not operating a machine, sunscreen use, and excessive workforce monitoring for potential heat stress are required.
Cost Impacts of Heat-Related Disruptions
Construction project cost impacts due to heat-related disruptions can be quite significant. Heat stress or heat-related illness leads to reduced productivity from an employee perspective, where productivity declines due to higher rates of rest breaks, slowness in work pace, and even possible absenteeism. Heat delays in construction activities can lead to longer completion timelines for the project, which leads to money spent on labor, money spent on labor-related delays, and/or extended rental fees for equipment.
Furthermore, the costs of medical treatment incurred by a worker or workers, as well as costs incurred from workers’ compensation claims, may also be incurred. In addition, some of the items for implementing heat-mitigation measures, such as cooler stations, shaded areas for workers, and even hydration items, may incur costs. All in all, failing to effectively manage heat risks may lead to increased operational costs, which would negatively impact construction project costs and profitability.
Strategies to Mitigate Heat Effect
To reduce the heat effect on construction sites in KSA, steps can be taken to mitigate the effects of heat on work. The first obvious step involves altering work hours to early morning or late afternoon to avoid excessive heat levels. Another step is providing shaded and/or cooled break areas for workers to cool off and recover. The next step involves helping to make unlimited access to cool drinking water available to all workers, as well as encouraging them to regularly take water breaks. Another possible step is having workers dress in light pods and breathable clothing with protective clothing specifically designed for hot climate use to reduce heat stress.
Site managers could monitor their workers with conditions where they observed signs of heat exhaustion, including dizziness, heavy sweating, and/or long-term fatigue, and be prepared to respond when required (as they were trained). Where possible, site managers could use cooling fans or misting systems, limit sun exposure, and rotate various tasks in order to limit the time any one worker would spend in direct sunlight. Site managers could also provide various program elements, including regular informational sessions, to keep workers alert and informed on heat safety and first aid management.
Constructing with Strength Constructing with Trust – Silver Foundation
At Silver Foundation, we pride ourselves on being experts in providing professional infrastructure and construction solutions throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With a focus on safety and professionalism, we work to achieve the highest quality and on-time, on-budget delivery of your project. Silver Foundation works for you, and to bring your project to life, from site work to the structural assembly, our highly skilled team will deliver precision and timely results. Silver Foundation will work to ensure your residential, commercial, or industrial project gets the structural foundation for success. You can always be assured you are partnering with a trusted name for construction quality and safety throughout the KSA like Silver Foundation.
Silver Foundation – Constructing Tomorrow, One Job at a Time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Services Does the Silver Foundation offer?
Silver Foundation provides complete construction solutions, from the site work and whole foundation assembly through the structural assembly of your project.
Where does the Silver Foundation work in Saudi Arabia?
Silver Foundation works with clients throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in all counties and major cities, including Riyadh.
Does Silver Foundation work on residential and commercial projects?
Yes, Silver Foundation routinely works on residential and commercial construction projects in all types of communities and developments and will consider projects of any size.
What can I expect from Silver Foundation regarding site quality and project safety?
We pride ourselves on maintaining high project standards, using highly skilled labor and the best materials. We will take care of the job site and safety and do our best to provide optimal results.
Can I have a custom quote for my project?
Yes absolutely! Contact us or schedule a site visit with one of us to provide you with an estimate specific to your project needs.
