The hidden danger of heat stress in the workplace
As our planet heats up, more workers are at an ever-increasing risk of extreme heat stress. The global construction workforce of 280 million are 13 times more likely to die from heat related illnesses than workers in other industries. Currently, 32.7% of accidents in the construction industry are caused by high ambient temperatures. Our device will allow people working in high heat conditions to form healthier relationships with heat and assists their regulation habits through visualized personal dehydration information.
As our immediate environments become increasingly unpredictable, we need to better our specific understanding of how individuals’ bodies respond to these changes. Low cost on-body sensors for effective biomarker measurements, will be a vital step in our journey to an inclusive and environmentally symbiotic future.
By 2030, productivity loss due to heat stress will be equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs, costing the global economy
$2.4 trillion
Construction workers are 13x more likely to die from a heat-related illness compared to workers in other industries
OSHA estimates that a single heat-exhaustion incident can cost an employer above $79k
We need a low cost intervention to reduce the effects of heat stress in the form of a PPE
Epicue is a low cost, sweat powered heat stress management solution for workers in high heat environments, achieved via continuous epifluidic sweat monitoring. A visual cue informs the worker of their heat stress level during a shift, giving them tangible proof of how their body is handling heat at that particular moment.
