Over Half of Field Workers Have Experienced 'Risk of Heatstroke' — Only 13.3% Feel 'Adequate Measures Are in Place'

Aspic, a B2B SaaS comparison site operated by the Japan Cloud Industry Association, which features over 2,000 services across 300+ categories, has conducted a survey on 'heatstroke prevention measures' targeting 240 men and women aged 20 to under 60 involved in field operations nationwide, and reports the findings here.

■ Survey Purpose

Against the backdrop of rising summer temperatures and increasing numbers of extremely hot days, heatstroke prevention measures have been partially mandated for employers since June 2025 under revised labor safety and health regulations for work conducted under certain heat stress conditions. Companies are now required not only to raise awareness and rely on individual self-management, but also to establish systems capable of detecting early signs of distress, enabling prompt reporting and rapid response.

This survey aims to visualize 'how frequently field workers perceive heatstroke risks' and 'to what extent companies have established heatstroke prevention and health monitoring systems,' taking into account these regulatory requirements.

※ When citing these survey results, please credit 'Aspic Survey'.

■ Survey Summary

※ When using the survey results or images from this press release, please include a link to Aspic's official website URL (or this article URL) as the source.

■ Survey Overview

The details of this online survey are as follows:

Survey Date: June 2026

Number of Respondents: 240

Residence: Nationwide

Gender: Male and Female (192 males, 48 females)

Age: 20 years and above, under 60 years

Employer Industries: Construction, Transportation and Logistics, Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Mining

Occupation: Company Employees (Technical and Other), Self-Employed, Part-Time Workers

Survey Method: Internet Research

Survey Media: Aspic URL | https://www.aspicjapan.org/asu/

■ Detailed Survey Results

Question 1: Have you ever felt at risk of heatstroke during field work?

Responses:

Multiple times: 37 people (15.4%)

Several times: 91 people (37.9%)

Rarely: 61 people (25.4%)

Never: 51 people (21.3%)

Question 2: In what situations did you feel at risk of heatstroke? (Multiple answers allowed)

※ Targeting the 189 respondents who did not select 'Never' in Question 1

Responses:

Working outdoors for extended periods: 61.9%

Inadequate hydration: 42.9%

Working indoors without air conditioning: 36.5%

Insufficient break time: 31.7%

Carrying heavy equipment or cargo: 21.7%

Hot workwear or protective clothing: 21.2%

Staff shortages making breaks difficult: 14.8%

Other: 1.1%

Question 3: Do you feel your workplace implements sufficient heatstroke prevention measures?

Responses:

Sufficient: 32 people (13.3%)

Somewhat sufficient: 121 people (50.4%)

Not very sufficient: 53 people (22.1%)

Almost not at all: 34 people (14.2%)

Question 4: How is workers’ health and heatstroke risk monitored on-site? (Multiple answers allowed)

Responses:

Verbal check-ins by supervisors: 38.3%

Self-reporting by workers: 37.1%

No specific system in place: 36.7%

Monitoring via WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) meters: 14.2%

Buddy system (pairs of workers): 12.9%

Wearable devices (IoT wristbands, etc.): 9.6%

Other: 0.0%

Question 5: What challenges do you think your company faces in implementing heatstroke prevention measures? (Multiple answers allowed)

Responses:

High cost of purchasing fan-equipped workwear or equipment: 34.2%

Labor shortages and difficulty securing personnel: 30.4%

Need to revise work rules, such as break times: 29.2%

Insufficient education and awareness about heatstroke prevention: 25.4%

Costs borne personally (company does not cover): 20.8%

Low safety awareness among managers and supervisors: 15.0%

Other: 6.3%

【Key Insight】 Those who frequently experience heatstroke risks are more likely to cite 'insufficient education and awareness' as a challenge

Among respondents who answered 'Multiple times' to Question 1 ('Have you ever felt at risk of heatstroke?'), 48.6% cited 'insufficient education and awareness about heatstroke prevention' as a challenge in Question 5. This significantly exceeds the overall average of 25.4%, suggesting that those who repeatedly experience risks are particularly concerned that heatstroke prevention measures are not adequately communicated on-site.

Considering that heatstroke prevention became mandatory in June 2025, companies must now go beyond mere warnings and systematically implement risk assessment, education, provision of necessary equipment, and standardized cost-sharing policies tailored to each worksite.

■ Summary (Aspic Editorial Team)

This survey targeting field workers in outdoor or poorly air-conditioned environments revealed the following results:

53.3% of respondents have experienced 'risk of heatstroke' during field work

Only 13.3% feel their workplace's heatstroke prevention measures are 'sufficient'

Risk monitoring still relies primarily on 'verbal check-ins'; 36.7% report 'no specific system in place'

Those who 'frequently' feel heatstroke risks are more likely to cite 'insufficient education and awareness'

The results suggest that despite the 2025 mandate, clear standards and operational rules have yet to fully permeate the field level, and current efforts may still be treated as voluntary initiatives rather than mandatory requirements.

To make heatstroke prevention more effective, it will be crucial to move beyond individual or site-level responsibility and establish organizational systems combining wearable devices, WBGT meters, and alert notifications.

Aspic introduces various cloud services useful for employee safety management, on-site condition monitoring, attendance and labor management, and emergency check-ins. We encourage corporate personnel facing challenges in institutionalizing heatstroke prevention and site management to visit our site.

14 Effective IoT Services for Heatstroke Prevention (https://www.aspicjapan.org/asu/article/150)

■ About Aspic

Aspic is a B2B SaaS comparison and document request website operated by the Japan Cloud Industry Association, Japan's largest SaaS industry group. Leveraging over 25 years of industry leadership and insights from over 1,400 member companies, Aspic features over 2,000 services across 300 categories.

Our editorial team, knowledgeable in business challenges and SaaS selection, utilizes not only public information but also exclusive insights from interviews with client companies and SaaS providers to clearly present each service's features and comparison points through diagrams, comparison tables, categorization, and diagnostic tools.

For inquiries regarding this article or press release, please contact Bluetone Inc., the entrusted operator.

Operator: Japan Cloud Industry Association (Aspic)

Operating Delegate: Bluetone Inc.

Contact: info@bluetone.co.jp