Approximately 80% of Construction Managers Answer 'Increasing' Heatstroke Risks at Construction Sites; Concerns Over 'Construction Delays Due to Extreme Heat' Also Voiced

'Levjob' (https://levjob.jp/), a career support service for essential workers operated by Leverages Co., Ltd., conducted an awareness survey on heatstroke countermeasures for the summer of 2026 among 573 construction managers. In the summer of 2025, approximately 90% implemented heatstroke measures, but increased costs and schedule burdens became apparent. Approximately 60% have experienced construction delays due to extreme heat, and over 70% answer that there is a 'high possibility of delay' this summer as well. Approximately 80% are concerned about an increase in heatstroke risks in the summer of 2026, backed by 'labor shortages' and 'overtime regulations'. 1. In the summer of 2025, approximately 90% implemented heatstroke measures, but increased costs and schedule burdens became apparent Regarding heatstroke countermeasures in the summer of 2025, approximately 90% of construction managers answered that they were 'implemented' (87.6%). As for the content of the implemented measures, 'increasing break time and frequency' (66.7%) was the most common, followed by 'providing air-conditioned clothes and cooling goods' (52.8%) and 'thorough hydration and salt intake' (51.8%). Furthermore, of the sites that implemented measures, over 80% felt that the measures were 'functioning sufficiently'. On the other hand, the most common challenge was 'increased costs due to countermeasure equipment (air-conditioned clothes, cooling devices, etc.)' (40.0%), followed by 'increased burden of labor costs, etc., associated with schedule adjustment/extension' (38.4%), and 'inability to secure sufficient break time due to labor shortages' (33.3%), indicating the reality of being caught between ensuring safety and managing costs and schedules. 2. Approximately 60% have experienced construction delays due to extreme heat, and over 70% answer that there is a 'high possibility of delay' this summer as well Regarding construction delays caused by extreme heat, approximately 60% of construction managers answered that they 'have experience' (64.2%). Furthermore, regarding the summer of 2026, over 70% of respondents answered that the possibility of construction delays is 'high' (28.6%) or 'somewhat high' (47.8%). As record-breaking heat becomes the norm, there is a current situation where the traditional way of setting construction schedules is forced to be reviewed. 3. Approximately 80% are concerned about an increase in heatstroke risks in the summer of 2026, backed by 'labor shortages' and 'overtime regulations' Regarding the risk of heatstroke in the summer of 2026, approximately 80% of construction managers answered that it 'may be higher than usual years' (77.0%). As reasons, in addition to climate aspects such as an 'increase in extremely hot days' (72.3%), many voices cited changes in the working environment, such as 'an increase in workload per person due to labor shortages' (47.8%) and 'the possibility of work concentrating in high-temperature hours during the day due to the impact of overtime restrictions' (44.9%). As initiatives considered necessary for future heatstroke countermeasures, 'increase in personnel' (45.7%) was the highest, followed by 'expansion of subsidy/grant systems' (39.6%) and 'scheduling assuming summer conditions' (38.2%), indicating a demand for comprehensive responses including personnel, systems, and schedule design, rather than just on-site measures. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, July 2025 recorded the highest average temperature in observation history, rising 2.89 degrees compared to a normal year. Also, in June of the same year, the Industrial Safety and Health Regulations were revised, making heatstroke measures mandatory with penalties. With such institutional backing, this survey revealed the reality that measures are being taken at approximately 90% of sites. On the other hand, overtime restrictions associated with the so-called 2024 problem and chronic labor shortages pose new constraints on ensuring safety in the summer. When a construction manager suffers from heatstroke, securing replacement personnel is often delayed, leading to concurrent duties at other sites or construction delays, showing cases where the workload increases in a chain reaction. Furthermore, there are disparities in the implementation status of measures between companies and sites. While optimization of capital investment and personnel allocation is progressing at major companies and large-scale sites, the reality is that sufficient measures are difficult at small and medium-sized enterprises and sites with budget constraints. To enhance the effectiveness of safety measures, we believe that stepping into a review of the entire operation, including personnel planning and scheduling assuming summer conditions, and tackling it with all stakeholders including clients, will be the key to achieving both on-site safety and productivity. Survey Period: March 3 to March 5, 2026 Survey Method: Internet survey Survey Subject: Leverages Co., Ltd. Actual Survey Contractor: GMO Research & AI, Inc. Valid Responses: 573 Target Audience: Full-time employees working as construction managers Levjob (https://levjob.jp/) Levjob is a career change service for 'essential workers' engaged in jobs essential for maintaining people's lives and infrastructure. In the essential work field, labor shortages are...