Outdoor Air Temperature, Thermal Comfort, Health and Performance at Building Construction Site in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract: Results from previous research shows that high outdoor air temperature can be detrimental to thermal comfort, health and productivity. However, are the results applicable to building construction workers in Nigeria? In view of this question, this study investigated the effect of outdoor air temperature on the thermal comfort, health and performance of a sample of sandcrete block layers at a building construction site in Abuja, Nigeria. The study involved a literature review and a field experiment. The field experiment examined the thermal comfort, health and performance of a sample sandcrete block layers at LT 28.50C and HT 37.010C (LT) and HT are the lowest and highest naturally occurring outdoor air temperatures in the construction site during the study. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon-signed ranked test was used to analyse the data from the field experiment. The result from the analysis of data shows that: the thermal comfort of the samples was significantly affected at HT 37.010C in comparison to LT 28.50C. Furthermore, the sensation of skin burn, fatigue and negative mood significantly increased at HT 37.010C in comparison to LT 28.50C. No significant change in symptoms of headache and dizziness was observed. Lastly, the performance of the sandcrete block was slightly low at HT 37.010C in comparison to LT 28.50C. The conclusion from this study is that high outdoor temperature (37.010C) is detrimental to the thermal comfort, health and performance of sandcrete block layers in Nigeria. The results from this study provide empirical data that may stimulate strategies for mitigating the effect of high outdoor air temperature on the thermal comfort, health and performance of workers during high outdoor temperatures at construction sites in Nigeria.