Construction workers labour in open sites through India's hottest months with little access to shade, rest breaks or cooling infrastructure. They work during peak sun hours, carry heavy loads, and operate machinery in conditions that directly increase their risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Most construction workers are daily wage earners, which means that taking a break or stopping work during extreme heat is not a choice that is practically available to them.
HeatWatch documented the heat exposure and health risks faced by construction workers in Pune, highlighting the dangers of outdoor labour in extreme heat and the near-total absence of institutional recognition of heat as an occupational hazard for this workforce
Read more about our work with construction workers here.